Maryland Archives and Libraries

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

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories for Maryland
Allegheny County Library System Washington Street Library· Baltimore City Archives· Bristol Public Library VA· Division of Vital Records· Dorchester County Central Public Library· Enoch Pratt Free Library· Frederick County Artz Public Library· Frostburg State University Ort Library· Handley Regional Library VA· Historical Society of Pennsylvania· Historical Society of Washington, D.C.· Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland· Johns Hopkins University George Peabody Library· Library of Congress DC· Maryland Genealogical Society· Maryland Historical Society· Maryland Historical Trust Library· Maryland State Archives· Maryland State Law Library· Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society· National Archives and Records Administration (Archives I) DC· National Archives at College Park, Maryland (Archives II)· National Archives at Philadelphia PA· National Genealogical Society VA· Pennsylvania State Archives· Prince George's County Genealogical Society· Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore· Saltisbury University Nabb Research Center· Talbot County Free Library· United Methodist Historical Society of the Baltimore-Washington Conference· University of Maryland McKeldin Library· Washington County Free Library· Washington National Records Center

National Repositories
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Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE Thomas Jefferson Building, LJ G4 Washington, D.C. 20540-4660 Telephone: Reading Room: 202-707-5537 Fax:  202-707-1957 E-mail:  Ask a Librarian Internet: LC Local History  Genealogy Reference Services
 * The LC "Local History and Genealogy Reading Room" has moved to the main reading room, but services are unchanged. They are part of the world's largest library including 50,000 genealogies, 100,000 local histories, and collections of manuscripts, microfilms, maps, newspapers, photographs, and published material, strong in North American, British Isles, and German sources. Maryland family history is well represented.

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National Archives I
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC Telephone: 1-866-272-6272 Fax:  301-837-0483 E-mail: National Archives and Records Administration Internet: http://archives.gov/
 * Archives I has nationwide censuses, pre-WWI military service and pensions, passenger lists, naturalizations, passports, federal bounty land, homesteads, bankruptcy, ethnic sources, prisons, and federal employees. The National Archives Building in Washington, DC (Archives I), houses textual and microfilm records relating to genealogy, American Indians, pre-World War II military and naval-maritime matters, the New Deal, the District of Columbia, the Federal courts, and Congress. Their collection includes many people who settled in Maryland.


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National Archives II
8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001 Telephone: 866-272-6272 Fax: 301-837-0483 E-mail: I have a question form Internet: National Archives at College Park, Maryland


 * Archives II houses documents created after 1900 at the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, and Treasury, modern military records, passport applications, and District of Columbia records. Many residents of Maryland are found among their records.



National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Telephone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 E-mail: [mailto:Philadelphia.archives@nara.gov Philadelphia.archives@nara.gov] Internet: http://www.archives.gov/philadelphia/
 * Has federal agency and court records for Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. All U.S. federal censuses 1790-1940, and indexes. Also have passenger arrivals in Philadelphia 1800-1945 and Baltimore, pension and bounty land warrant applications, naturalizations 1790-1990, early federal history, diplomacy, military history, Chinese-Americans, World War II homefront, National Park Service, merchant marine, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, federal tax evasion and smuggling cases.

National Genealogical Society
3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300 Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370 USA Telephone: 703-525-0050 or  800-473-0060 Fax 703-525-0052 E-mail: [mailto:ngs@ngsgenealogy.org ngs@ngsgenealogy.org] Internet: National Genealogical Society
 * The National Genealogical Society (NGS) aims to serve and grow the genealogical community by providing education and training, fostering increased quality and standards, and promoting access to and preservation of genealogical records. It is the premier American national society for everyone from the beginner to the most advanced family historian. In conjunction with a sponsoring local genealogical society, it stages an annual NGS Conference. They also provide genealogical education courses, publications and videos. Their NGS Book Loan Collection is now housed at the St. Louis County Library in Missouri. Their online collections include The National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) newspaper index 1800-1850, indexed Bible records and family groups from NGS members.



Washington National Records Center
WNRC 4205 Suitland Road Suitland, MD 20746-8001 Telephone: 866-272-6272 (National Archives and Records Administration) E-mail: Contact Us form (for the National Archives and Records Administration) Internet: Services for the Public
 * Older than 15-years federal criminal court, federal civil court, and federal bankruptcy court records, and the federal agency records from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Division of Vital Records
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 6764-B Reisterstown Road Baltimore, Maryland 21215 USA Telephone: 410-764-3038 Internet: VSA Home How to request BMD certificates; Quick links; New; Vital statistics; FAQ; General info; and MD-EDRS (online death registration).
 * The Division of Vital Records issues certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates for events that occurred in Maryland. Photo-I.D. is required. You can apply by mail or in-person. For an additional fee you could also make online requests through the private company VitalCheck.com. Fees may differ for certificates issued at local (county or city) Health Departments. Statewide registration began for births and deaths in 1898; for marriages in 1777. Local vital records may exist before those dates but would be spotty.

Maryland Genealogical Society
201 West Monument Street Baltimore, MD 21201 E-mail: [mailto:info@mdgensoc.org info@mdgensoc.org] Internet: Maryland Genealogical Society
 * Promotes genealogical research through publications, programs and workshps, resources, and outreach. Publishes a journal and newsletter. Maintains a surname registry, databases of photos, tax lists, cemetery, and church records. Offers a limited research service for a fee.

Maryland Historical Society
201 West Monument St. Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4674 Telephone: 410-685-3750 E-mail: [mailto:reference@mdhs.org reference@mdhs.org] Internet: Maryland Historical Society Library Overview


 * This facility has the largest genealogical book collection in Maryland, and family Bibles, newspapers, and biographies.

Maryland Historical Trust Library
100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD 21032 Telephone: 410-514-7655 (Call for hours of operation) Internet: Maryland Historical Trust Library Internet: Online catalog
 * Houses journals and 5,000 books primarily about archeology (terrestrial and maritime), Native Americans, architecture, history, historic preservation, decorative, building conservation for Maryland and surrounding regions. They also have an oral history collection.

Maryland State Archives
Hall of Records Building 350 Rowe Boulevard Annapolis, MD 21401 Telephone: 410-260-6400 Fax: 410-974-2525 E-mail: [mailto:ref@mdsa.net ref@mdsa.net] Internet: Maryland State Archives


 * This is the premier facility for locating Maryland ancestors. The Maryland State Archives online has nearly all available public records from 1634 to 1789; most original state and county records through the mid-twentieth century; microfilm copies of land, probate, and vital records to the present; and over 130 major card indexes to Maryland land records and early settlers, newspapers, county records, church records, family, and business records. This is the most complete collection of any of the 13 colonies. It can take up the three days just to check the indexes. For more information about the state archives, see the following references.


 * Maryland. Hall of Records. A Guide to the Index Holdings at the Hall of Records. Rev., Bulletin, [Maryland. Hall of Records] No. 17. (Annapolis, Maryland: Hall of Records, 1972.) This is a county-by-county list of indexes and years covered.
 * Papenfuse, Edward C., et al. A Guide to Government Records at the Maryland State Archives: A Comprehensive List by Agency and Record Series. (Annapolis, Maryland: Maryland State Archives, 1992.) This guide lists record types, years covered, and series number.
 * Papenfuse, Edward C., et. al. A Guide to the Maryland Hall of Records: Local, Judicial and Administrative Records on Microfilm. Volume 1. (Annapolis, Maryland: Hall of Records Commission, 1978.) Volume one is a detailed list of many records on microfilm for Allegany County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City, Maryland. These include court, probate, and land records. The archives has additional computer printout lists for all counties. You can write to them for information about records of specific localities and time periods.
 * Radoff, Morris Leon, et al. The County Courthouses and Records of Maryland, Part Two: The Records. (Annapolis, Maryland: Hall of Records Commission, 1963.) This is a county-by-county list of record types, years covered, and series number.

Maryland State Law Library
Courts of Appeal Building 361 Rowe Boulevard Annapolis, MD 21401 Telephone: 410-260-1430 Fax: 410-974-2063 E-mail: [mailto:lawlibrary@mdcourts.gov lawlibrary@mdcourts.gov] Internet: Maryland State Law Library
 * Includes family genealogies, Maryland public records, historical works, popular Maryland newspapers on microfilm, and online access to back issues of the "Capital" (via Newspaper Archive).

Allegheny Co Lib Sys Washington St Lib
Allegheny County Library System Washington Street Library 31 Washington Street Cumberland, MD 21502 Telephone: 301-777-1200 Fax: 301-777-7299 E-mail: [mailto:washingtonstlibrary@alleganycountylibrary.info washingtonstlibrary@alleganycountylibrary.info] Internet: Washington Street Library
 * They have a western Maryland historical collection with genealogies, and local histories. Cumberland, Maryland, was the start of the National Road to Ohio and farther west.

Baltimore City Archives
2615 Mathews Street Baltimore MD 21218 Telephone: 410-396-3884 E-mail: [mailto:baltimorecityarchives@gmail.com baltimorecityarchives@gmail.com] Internet: Baltimore City Archives Internet: Guide to the BCA for Genealogists
 * Visits by appointment only. Find 300,000 names in their WPA Historical Records Survey Name Index. They also have Baltimore City directories, spotty coroner's inquest records 1827-1867, a Baltimore Houses of Worship locator tool, a partial 1868 Police Census for Wards 3, 6. 8, 9. 13, & 20, cemetery records, passenger arrival lists, and property tax records.
 * Two useful guides to Baltimore records are:
 * Cox, Richard J., and Patricia M. Vanorny. "The Records of a City: Baltimore and Its Historical Sources." Maryland Historical Magazine 70 (Fall 1975): 286-310.
 * LeFurgy, William G. The Records of a City: A Guide to the Baltimore City Archives. (Baltimore, Maryland: City Archives, 1984.)

Dorchester County Central Public Library
303 Gay St. Cambridge, MD 21613 Telephone: 410-228-7331 Internet: Dorchester County Public Library


 * Their collection includes many Maryland Eastern Shore, and Delaware historical references.

Enoch Pratt Free Library
400 Cathedral Street Baltimore, MD 21201-4484 Telephone: 410-396-5430 Fax: 410-396-1441 E-mail: Email A Question form Internet: Enoch Pratt Free Library


 * Excellent local, county, and Maryland state records. C. Burr Artz Public Library in Frederick, Maryland 20501v.jpg

Frederick County Artz Public Library
110 East Patrick Street Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-600-1630 E-mail: Contact the Maryland Room form Internet: C. Burr Artz Public Library
 * They have Maryland history, genealogy, and more.



Frostburg State University Ort Library
1 Stadium Drive Frostburg, Maryland 21532-2342 Telephone: 301-687-4395 E-mail: Ask a Librarian form Internet: Frostburg State University Lewis J. Ort Library
 * Their Special Collections maintains material about Western Maryland and contiguous counties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, answers genealogical reference questions, and provides an obituary copy service.

Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland
229 Chartley Drive Reisterstown, MD 21136 Telephone: 410-635-4737 E-mail: [mailto:JGSofMD@gmail.com JGSofMD@gmail.com] Internet: Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland Home
 * JGS MD provides educational progams, resources, and news to help researchers find their Jewish ancestors. George-peabody-library.jpg

Johns Hopkins Univ Peabody Library
Johns Hopkins University George Peabody Library 17 East Mount Vernon Place Baltimore, MD 21202 Telephone: 410-659-8179 Fax: 410-659-8137 E-mail: [mailto:ask@jhu.libanswers.com ask@jhu.libanswers.com] Internet: George Peabody Library
 * This collection has strengths in British and American history, biography, geography, and exploration and travel including a large map collection.The also have many manuscripts.

Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society
P.O. Box 241 New Windsor, Maryland 21776-0241 E-mail: [mailto:corresponding@magsgen.com corresponding@magsgen.com] Internet: Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society
 * MAGS facilitates research on Germanic genealogy in the mid-Atlantic region (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) during the 17th through 20th centuries. They provide a newsletter and sponsor educational events.

Prince George's Co Genealogical Society
Prince George's County Genealogical Society 12219 Tulip Grove Drive Bowie, MD Telephone: 301-262-2063 E-mail: [mailto:pgcgs@juno.com pgcgs@juno.com] Internet: Library information
 * 5,500 volumes, surname files, family group sheets, Bible records and microfilms. Focused primarily on Prince George's County, Maryland, and the eastern states.



Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
Associated Archives at St. Mary’s Seminary & University 5400 Roland Avenue Baltimore, MD 21210 Telephone: 410-864-4074 Fax: 410-864-3690 Email: [mailto:archives@stmarys.edu archives@stmarys.edu] Internet: The Associated Archives website includes information about the archives; collections; genealogy; services; and making appointments.
 * Either schedule an on-site visit, or submit a written request for a sacramental record of a baptism, a marriage, or a death between 1834 and 1989.

Salisbury Univ Nabb Research Center
Salisbury University Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture Guerrieri Academic Commons (street address) (4th Floor, Room 430) 1101 Camden Ave (mailing address) Salisbury, MD 21801 Telephone: 410-543-6312 Fax: 410-677-5067 E-mail: [mailto:nabbcenter@salisbury.edu nabbcenter@salisbury.edu] Internet: Nabb Research Center
 * This repository has family files, family histories, local histories, photos, and artifacts from the Delmarva Penninsula (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) also called the "Eastern Shore." Includes correspondence, manuscripts, ledgers, diaries, local business and organizational records, maps, newspapers, land surveys, and oral histories. Microfilm collections hold governmental and church records of Somerset, Worcester, Dorchester and Wicomico counties in Maryland; Accomack and Northampton counties in Virginia; and Sussex County in Delaware.

Talbot County Free Library
Maryland Room 100 W. Dover Street Easton, Maryland 21601 Telephone: 410-822-1626 Fax: 410-820-8217 E-mail: Message form Internet: Maryland Room
 * Look here for their many Maryland Eastern Shore, and Delaware historical references. Their collection includes church records, burial permits, Talbot County genealogy links, Bibles, family records, manuscripts, maps, local oral histories, and vertical files. Lovely Lane Methodist Church.jpg

United Methodist Historical Society
United Methodist Historical Society of the Baltimore-Washington Conference 2200 Saint Paul Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-5805 Telephone: 410-889-4458 E-mail: Contact form Internet: Lovely Lane Museum Home
 * The Lovely Lane Methodist Church holds the Historical Society's archives, library, and museum. The archives preserve records of annual conferences, agencies, certain personal papers, and certain discontinued local church records. The library holds biographies, histories, historic Books of Discipline, and maintains digitized publications.



University of Maryland McKeldin Library
College Park, MD 20742-7011 Telephone: 301-405-0800 E-mail: Ask us form Internet: Theodore R. McKeldin Library


 * Their Maryland historical collection is quite large.

Washington County Free Library
100 South Potomac Street Hagerstown MD 21740 Telephone: 301.739.3250 E-mail: Contact form Internet: Genealogy
 * The Western Maryland Room  is a genealogical resource which includes published histories, oral histories, books, periodicals, and family folders.

Bristol Public Library
701 Goode Street Bristol, VA 24201-4199 Telephone: 540-645-8780 Fax: 276-669-5593 E-mail: [mailto:bplref@yahoo.com bplref@yahoo.com] Internet: Bristol Public Library


 * 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. [[Image:Handley Library Winchester Virginia.jpg|thumb|220px|Handley Library Winchester Virginia]]

Handley Regional Library
100 W. Piccadilly Street PO Box 58 Winchester, VA 22604 Telephone: 540-662-9041 Fax: 540-722-4769 E-mail: [mailto:archives@handleyregional.org archives@handleyregional.org] Website: Handley Regional Library
 * Very large collection on Germans and Scots-Irish who traveled the Great Valley Road from Pennsylvania  through Maryland to Virginia, including manuscripts, newspapers, biographies, and histories, and people of the Lower Shenandoah Valley since 1732, emphasizing Winchester and Frederick County in 4000 books, county court abstracts, county histories, genealogies, regimental histories, battles, newspapers since 1787, censuses, 600 linear feet of manuscripts, maps, photos, and oral history tapes.



Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699 Telephone: 215-732-6200 Fax: 215-732-2680 E-mail: [mailto:ReadyReference@hsp.org ReadyReference@hsp.org] Internet: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * Has early Quakers, Germans, Scots-Irish, and other settlers in William Penn's colonies of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. This is also an excellent place to learn about early settlers of Maryland. Records which have been published are normally well-indexed. This society also has 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century manuscripts (letters, diaries, account books, deeds, minutes, and scrapbooks), passenger arrival lists and indexes, local and regional history, ethnic and immigrant studies materials, 600,000 books, 20 million manuscripts, over 300,000 graphics items, and 300 years of newspapers.

Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Kiplinger Research Library Carnegie Library 2nd floor 801 K St NW Washington, DC 20001 Telephone: 202-249-3955 E-mail: [mailto:info@dchistory.org info@dchistory.org] Internet: Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
 * Think of this as the state archives for the District of Columbia because of the 200 years of local history documents for genealogists. This includes families and notable individuals, organizations, businesses, neighborhoods, religious institutions, local houses of worship, funeral homes, diaries and personal papers, and early 18th century Maryland and Virginia land records. Researchers are welcomed in the Kiplinger Research Library by prior appointment only Tuesday through Friday. Access to the library and collections is free of charge. Pennsylvania State Archive building.jpg

Pennsylvania State Archives
300 North Street     (mail to:  350 North Street) Harrisburg, PA 17120 Telephone: 717-783-3281 E-mail: [mailto:ra-statearchives@pa.gov ra-statearchives@pa.gov] Internet: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
 * Their colonial records include many references to Maryland settlements. This huge collection has indexes and original sources associated with the series, such as vital, military, prison, naturalization, land records, census, ships lists, railroads, mines, and 1.5 million online records including online genealogy guides.

Family History Centers
Some of the above collections are partially duplicated at the FamilySearch Library and its branch Family History Centers around the world. Most centers can help you by: There are several centers located in Maryland, for example:
 * Giving you limited, personal, one-on-one research suggestions (but they do not do research for you)
 * Providing access to genealogical records through the Internet FHC Portal.
 * Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)
 * Fostering contact between genealogical enthusiasts
 * Hampstead Maryland Family History Center 4117 Lower Beckleysville Rd Hampstead MD 21074 USA Telephone: 410-374-1301.
 * Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.

To locate one of these centers in your own neighborhood, see Find a Family History Center.