If you have a favorite repository not listed here, email us and we’ll include it.
Alabama Department of Archives and History – Many Arkansans made their way here from or through Alabama. The digital archives hold items of interest, but many more are available on site. 624 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL (334) 242-4435.
Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center. The largest public genealogy library in the world hosts PERSI, the PERiodical Source Index that collects articles on history and genealogy from thousands of publications worldwide. ACPL offers an inexpensive look-up service for items in its collection, including PERSI. Free and low-cost copies of articles and research services.
American Ancestors is the website of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. A subscription to the site provides access to a vast database of digital research materials, journals, and records, mostly from New England. Among the Society’s projects and initiatives are the Great Migration Study Project (early colonial America), Henry Louis Gates’s “Finding Your Roots” television program, the Jewish Heritage Center, and 10 Million Names, which seeks to identify people who were enslaved in America.
ArchiveGrid – Like WorldCat, which locates books in libraries, ArchiveGrid is a project of OCLC. Over 1400 institutions have lodged their special collections catalogs with ArchiveGrid. Searching by location, name, event, and other keywords can help locate manuscripts, family bibles, letters, and other papers, and some are even available online. Start here to plan your next genealogy roadtrip.
Arkansas State Archives contain a trove of local history and a respectable library of historical and genealogical resources from other states. The Arkansas Digital Archives has limited free content online. The helpful staff can’t be beat. One Capitol Mall (Big Mac Building), Little Rock AR 72201. (501) 682-6900. Open Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to Noon and 1-4 p.m., and on the first and third Saturday of the month. Free Parking & Admission.
Arkansas State Library has access to digital resources online through its Traveler portal, including ABC-Clio (available at the library) and Pro-Quest (available anywhere). Information Services staff are available at the first-floor reception, and by telephone during normal business hours (8:00-4:30, Monday through Friday). 900 W Capitol, Little Rock. (501) 682-2053.
Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society – The Heritage Center and its archives are housed at the Baxter County Historical Museum, 300 Bomber Boulevard, Mountain Home, AR. Some databases are online, and volunteers will take research requests. PO Box 2125, Mountain Home, AR, (870) 425-2551, bcheritagecenter@gmail.com.
The Benton County Historical Society has archives of local deeds, obituaries, newspapers, real estate records, tax lists, and other items. Open from 10-3 Tuesday through Friday. No appointment necessary. 306 NW 2nd St., Bentonville. Call 479-273-3561 or email bentoncountyarhs@gmail.com for more information.
The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History and Art at Library Square in downtown Little Rock houses special collections in a joint project with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Center for Arkansas History and Culture, and has a substantial genealogy reference collection of books and microfilms. Computers give access to subscription-only sites like Ancestry and Newspapers.com. The Butler Center’s website serves as a portal to other online research databases. Open 9-6 Monday through Friday and noon-4 on Saturday. 401 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, AR 72201. (501) 320-5700.
County historical associations and societies are listed on the Arkansas Historical Association website. Some offer publications, museums, archives, and public programming and meetings.
Documenting the American South – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s digital publishing initiative that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. The collection includes sixteen thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs. Find North Carolina’s colonial and early state records here.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, a project of the Central Arkansas Library System, has thousands of articles and media about Arkansas history. It includes links to historic sites, people, and events. Fact-checked articles, written by experts who volunteer their time, knowledge, and research and writing skills.
Family History Centers operated by the LDS Church provide access to items not viewable through FamilySearch.org. There are 40 FHCs in Arkansas, but note that most are affiliates housed in public libraries that do not have special access to collections. Staff are trained to help you research and make family discoveries. Hours vary, so check the Center’s listing on FamilySearch.org before going. (Some are open by appointment only.) In central Arkansas, the Little Rock FHC at 13901 Quail Run Dr. is open on Tuesdays from 1–8 pm and Wednesdays from 6:30–8:30 pm. The Jacksonville FHC at 6110 T. P. White is open Wednesdays from 1-5 pm. Other centers (as opposed to affiliates) are in Bentonville, Blytheville, El Dorado, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Magnolia, Mena, Mountain Home, Mountain View, Pine Bluff, Russellville, Searcy, and Springdale.
The Filson Historical Society’s Special Collections – The Filson Historical Society focuses on Kentucky, the Ohio Valley, and the Upland South, and its collection includes over two million documents, photos, maps, and other items pertaining to trans-Appalachia. Research in person or submit a research request. Some items are digitized. Open Monday through Friday, 9-4:30 (closed the third Friday of the month). The Filson recommends reserving a seat and materials for in-person visits. Call (502) 635-5083, and visit at 1310 S. 3rd St., Louisville, KY.
The Library of Virginia – Researching Virginia’s many burned counties can be frustrating, but the LVA’s collections can yield gold. The digital collections include such gems as the R. Bolling Batte Biographical Card File, family bibles, colonial records and correspondence, church and parish records, and more. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Prearrange a visit by calling (804) 692-3500. 800 East Broad St., Richmond, VA
Missouri State Archives – Many Arkansans came through Missouri on their way. Among other things, the archives holds county and municipal records and tax lists. Submit research requests online or by email. 600 West Main St., Jefferson City, MO. (573) 751-3280, archref@sos.mo.gov.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture – what the Library of Virginia doesn’t have, the Virginia Museum just might. Special collections include family papers, maps, family bibles, business records, and more. Can’t visit? Search the online catalog and request copies. Open Monday through Friday and two Saturdays a month. Call (804) 340-1800. Visit at 428 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA.