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United States Tennessee  Archives and Libraries

These repositories preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Tennessee.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in Tennessee
National Archives at Atlanta · Tennessee State Library and Archives· Chattanooga Public Library Downtown· East Tennessee Historical Society· Knox County Public Library· Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center· Kingsport Public Library· Memphis Public Library and Information Cente· Nashville Metropolitan Government Archives· Nashville Public Library· University of Memphis Library· University of Tennessee Knoxville· University of Tennessee at Martin Library· Allen County Public Library· Bristol Public Library · Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research· Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown

Statewide Repositories
Tennessee State Library and Archives 403 Seventh Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243-0312 Telephone: 615-741-2764 Fax: 1-615-532-2472 Website: Tennessee State Library and Archives


 * This is the best genealogical resource facility in in Tennessee. It includes public records, original county records, genealogies, biographies, and Confederate soldier records.


 * Two areas of interest to researchers: the library has printed materials, and the archives have original Tennessee government records and other historical documents. Many of their records are microfilmed. Their web site includes 19th Century Newspapers, Civil War Era Database, Nashville City Directories, and an inventory of Tennessee county records.


 * Reels of microfilm can be borrowed on interlibrary loan from the Tennessee State Library and Archives [Internet site]. The records include: • Marriages • Probate • Land and Property

Regional Repositories
Chattanooga Public Library Downtown 1001 Broad Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 Telephone: 423-757-5317 E-mail: [mailto:library@lib.chattanooga.gov library@lib.chattanooga.gov] Website: Local History and Genealogy Department


 * Includes the Upper South's largest family folder collection which is heavy on Tennessee and North Carolina. Internet genealogy databases, census, newspapers, obituary index, county records, 30,000 books, manuscripts, and genealogical periodicals.

East Tennessee Historical Center 601 South Gay Street Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Telephone: 865-215-8801 Website: East Tennessee Historical Society


 * East Tennessee Historical Society has for over 175 years recorded stories, collected artifacts, and educated visitors with lectures, and publications such as First Families of Tennessee, and the new Civil War Families of Tennessee. The original 15,000 applications for First Families of Tennessee project, and surname files are accessible to the public.
 * In the same building:
 * Knox County Public Library Calvin M. McClung Historical Collections, Website: Knox County Public Library. The McClung Historical Collection features an index to early Tennessee and North Carolina families. This is the best family history and genealogy index for these two states. The McClung Historical Collection’s primary focus is east Tennessee; it holds one of the country’s leading research collections about the region, including Internet genealogy databases, more than 75,000 books, 3,000 genealogies, manuscripts, censuses, state and local government records, newspapers, Knoxville city directories, maps, and photos. In addition to the east Tennessee material, the collection also contains research guides and census indexes for many states in the United States, especially 11 states in the South. The Knox County Public Library also offers the free online Calvin M. McClung Digital Collection.
 * Knox County Archives since 1792 collects history and county government records such as marriages, divorces, deeds, probates, County-Chancery-Circuit-Criminal-Juvenile-Superior court, tax, and school records, and online databases.
 * Museum of East Tennessee History showcases the history of the region and its 35 counties.

Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center 7779 Poplar Pike Germantown, TN 38138 Telephone: 901-757-8480 Website: Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center


 * The Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center (GRHGC) is the special collections division of Germantown Community Library. It is a repository for non-circulating books, microfilm, periodicals, photographs, and maps for genealogical and historical research for the Mid-South, Eastern and Southern states, including plenty of family folders, and county histories.

Kingsport Public Library 400 Broad Street Kingsport, TN 37660-4292 Telephone Reference: 423-224-2539; Archives: 423-224-2559 E-mail: Contact us form Website: Genealogy and Local History


 * One of the best family folder collections in the South, especially for East Tennessee, and a good set of genealogical reference books.

Memphis Public Library and Information Center Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library 3030 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38111-3527 Telephone: 901-415-2700 E-mail: [mailto:hisref@memphis.lib.tn.us hisref@memphis.lib.tn.us] Website: Genealogy


 * They have a huge collection of books, indexes, guides, aids, periodicals, family folders, county histories with statewide coverage. The genealogical holdings of the History Department's Memphis and Shelby County Room include manuscripts, maps, biographies, histories and directories relating to Memphis, Shelby County, and the mid-south region.

Nashville Metropolitan Government Archives
Nashville Metropolitan Government Archives 3801 Green Hills Village Dr. Nashville, TN 37215 Telephone: 615-862-5880 Website: Metropolitan Government Archives


 * Houses the original Davidson County and Nashville City records to about 1966. Website includes links to web resources maintained by the Friends of the Metro Archives.

Nashville Public Library 615 Church Street Nashville, TN 37219 Telephone: 615-862-5800 Website: Nashville Public Library


 * The Nashville Roomof the Nashville Public Library maintains the genealogical collection. In addtion, the library website includes indexes to Nashville marriages 1864-1905, Tennessean obituary index 1964-present, Nashville City Cemetery index and Nashville photographs 1940-1976. Look for links to web resources maintained by the Friends of the Metro Archives.  Vertical files of newspaper clippings and family histories,  manuscripts concerning Nashville and Davidson County families, historic photographs and Nashville City Directories are available to to library patrons.

University of Memphis Library Special Collections Department 126 Ned R. WcWherter Library Memphis, TN 38152-3250 Telephone: 901-678-8242 Fax: 901-678-8218 Website: University of Memphis Libraries

University of Tennessee Knoxville John C. Hodges Library, Special Collections 1401 Cumberland Avenue Knoxville, TN 37996-1000 Telephone: 423-974-4480 Website: www.lib.utk.edu


 * They have manuscripts, biographies, family histories, local and county histories, federal records, church records, ethnic and American Indians (especially Cherokees), river traffic information, and outstanding historical reference books. The library’s catalog is online and the Tennessee Newspaper Project is available through the catalog.

University of Tennessee at Martin Library Paul Meek Library, Special Collections West Tennessee Heritage Study Center 554 University St Martin, TN 38237 Telephone: 731-881-7464 E-mail: [mailto:speccoll@utm.edu speccoll@utm.edu] Website: West Tennessee Heritage Study Center


 * The WTHSC focuses on the genealogy, social history, cultures, and family history of Tennessee and its counties. Their collection includes all of Tennessee but is more in-depth for northwest Tennessee. They also collect newspapers, regional county records, and have federal censuses for Tennessee 1780–1930. Their WTHSC Index is an important resource.

Outside of Tennessee Repositories
Allen County Public Library 900 Library Plaza Fort Wayne, IN 46802 Telephone: 260-421-1225 E-mail: [mailto:genealogy@acpl.info genealogy@acpl.info]


 * This is the second-largest genealogy collection in the United States and the largest genealogy collection in a public library. Its holdings include more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items on microfilm and microfiche. It has a premier genealogical periodical collection, local histories, genealogies, databases, military, censuses, directories, passenger lists, ethnic sources, and Canadians. They have a great Tennessee collection.

Bristol Public Library 701 Goode Street Bristol, Virginia 24201-4199 Telephone: 540-645-8780 Fax: 276-669-5593 E-mail: [mailto:bplref@yahoo.com bplref@yahoo.com] Website: http://www.bristol-library.org/


 * They have a relatively small family folder collection. Nevertheless, it is an important resource for settlers coming from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and northern Virginia along the Great Valley Road into Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research 5300 Caroline Houston, TX 77004 Telephone: 713-284-1999 Website: http://www2.houstonlibrary.org/clayton/


 * One of America's best genealogical collections. Especially strong for Texas, adjoining states, and Tennessee.

Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown 224 Church Street Santa Cruz, California 95060 Telephone: 831-427-7707 ext. 5794 E-mail: E-mail reference service form Website: http://www.santacruzpl.org/branches/14/


 * Holds the Genealogial Society of Santa Cruz County's library, including the Tina Brayton Collection which is equivalent to the Draper Manuscript Collection  but larger and with a better index, and many compiled genealogies of Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia families.

Guidebook
The following directory assists in determining the archives of interest:


 * Ellen Garrison, ed., Archives in Appalachia: A Directory. (Boone, North Carolina: Appalachian Consortium Press, 1985). ; . This work covers the states of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The record is arranged alphabetically by state, then by the name of the repository. Each entry lists the archive, its address, telephone number, inclusive dates of the collection, the records of the collection, what subjects are covered by the collection, and the size of the collection. There are two indexes: Record type, and Subject, with reference numbers corresponding to the repository. Also included is a list, under “Coming Attractions,” of agencies that do not currently collect manuscript materials but plan to do so in the future.