Maine State Archives

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Contact Information
Address:


 * Mailing:  84 State House Station
 * Augusta, Maine 04333


 * Physical:  230 State Street
 * Augusta, Maine 04333

Telephone: 207-287-5795  Fax:  207-287-5517

Hours and holidays: Monday-Friday 8:00 to 4:00 (except legal holidays)

Internet sites and databases:


 * Maine State Archives includes online services, publications, news, Archives Interactive, CCC info, marriage and death databases, downloadable databases, researcher and historical group services.
 * Archives Interactive describes records available at the MSA including photos, maps, court records, municipal records (birth, marriage, death) and microfilms, town legal histories, and newspapers.
 * Marriage database 1892-2009 search by bride's/groom's names, and/or by town, and narrow by date.
 * Death database 1960-2009 search by name, and/or by town of death, and narrow by date.
 * Databases for downloading include military (Civil War, Mexican War, War of 1812), CCC, courts, divorces 1800-1891, photos, maps, railroads, town records 1630-1990, and minor civil divisions.
 * Maine State Arhives Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records) military 1775-1865; naturalizations 1790-1913; courts 1636-1929; land 1794-1964.

Collection Description
The Maine State Archives (MSA) collection includes town meeting minutes, births, marriages, and deaths from 1630 to 1955. When Maine requested a copy of their pre-1892 records, only 80 towns originally responded. About half the pre-1892 records have been indexed. MSA also have federal censuses 1790-1930, a 1837 state census, and land deeds 1794-1940, photos, maps, and town history information. Court records include dockets, records, and casefiles. MSA military records include the Maine militia, Revolutionary War (1775-1883) and later pensions and bounty land, War of 1812, Aroostook War of 1839, Mexican War 1846-1848, Civil War 1861-1864, and Spanish American War 1898. The MSA maintains a list of private researchers for hire who are familiar with their collection.

Tips
Before a visit, save time by printing and completing a Research Room Privileges Application (PDF, 78 KB).

Guides

 * Town Records on Microfilm 1630-1990 (downloadable database). Describes 2,115 film records of births, deaths, marriages, marriage intentions, town records, militia enrollment, or tax lists.
 * Maine State Arhives, Microfilm List : Early Maine Town and Vital Records (Augusta, Maine: MSA, 1992)..

Alternate Repositories
If you cannot visit or find a source at the , a similar source may be available at one of the following.

Overlapping Collections


 * Maine town clerks keep town meeting minutes, birth, marriages, and deaths from early to 1922.
 * Maine Vital Records, Augusta ME, births, marriages, divorces, and deaths 1923 to present.
 * The Library, University of Maine at Presque Isle ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.
 * Fogler Library, University of Maine, Orono ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.
 * Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.
 * Maine Historical Society, Portland ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.
 * Portland Public Library, Portland ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.
 * Springvale Public Library, Springvale Village, Sanford ME, Pre-1892, and 1892-1955 BMDs.

Similar Collections


 * Maine State Library, Augusta
 * Maine State Museum, Augusta
 * New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, national in scope. Over 100 million name database, of vital records, genealogies, journals, over 200,000 books, 100,000 microfilms, and over 20 million manuscripts with emphasis on New England and New York since the 1600s.
 * National Archives Northeast Region (Boston) (that is Waltham), censuses, Ancestry.com, military, pensions, bounty land, photos, passenger indexes, naturalizations, African Americans, Indians.
 * Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, holds 450 computers, 3,400 databases, 3.1 million microforms, 4,500 periodicals, 310,000 books of worldwide family and local histories, civil, church, immigration, ethnic, military, and records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Neighboring Collections


 * Maine Genealogical Society
 * Kennebec Historical Society, Augusta ME.
 * Kennebec Registry of Deeds
 * Kennebec Register of Probate
 * Kennebec County, Maine Court Records Directory for Superior, District, and Probate courts.