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United States Rhode Island  Archives and Libraries

These archives, libraries, societies, and museums preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Rhode Island.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in Rhode Island
Rhode Island State Archives (Wiki Page)·Rhode Island State Archives (Online Catalog)· Rhode Island Historical Society· Newport Historical Society· Brown University Library· Providence Public Library· Archives at the Judicial Records Center· National Archives Northeast Region (Boston)· New England Historic Genealogical Society

American Antiquarian Society
American Antiquarian Society 185 Salisbury Street Worcester, Massachusetts 01609-1634 Telephone: 508-755-5221 Fax: 508-753-3311 E-mail: [mailto:Library@americanantiquarian.org Library@americanantiquarian.org] Internet: American Antiquarian Society


 * Best known for its U.S. newspaper collection of over 18,000 bound volumes 1704-1820, history, genealogy, Bibles, maps, biography, directories, Native Americans, women, canals, railroads, photos, manuscripts. They have Rhode Island vital records, newspapers, and town histories. One of the best genealogy centers in America.

American-French Genealogical Society
American-French Genealogical Society P.O. Box 2010 78 Earle Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 Telephone: 401-765-6141 Fax: 401-765-6141 Website: American-French Genealogical Society


 * Has collections pertaining to cultural, genealogical, historical and biographical matter relating to Americans of French and French Canadian descent. Collections include databases, cemetery, headstone and obituary records, as well as French-American marriage records for Rhode Island (see The Forget Files). The website has genealogy links and includes a section on Acadian heritage.

National Archives at Boston
National Archives at Boston 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02452-6399 Telephone: 781-663-0130 Fax: 781-663-0154 Website: NARA Northeast Boston


 * Collects Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, fortifications, coastal facilities, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, genealogy, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, and Canadian border crossings.

New England Historic Genealogical Society
New England Historic Genealogical Society 101 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116-3007 Telephone: 617-536-5740 Fax: 617-536-7307 Website:New England Historic Genealogical Society


 * Best overall collection for New England (and Rhode Island) vital records and probates, and excellent collection for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. The manuscript collection for members-only has diaries, letters, account books, business papers, church and town records, sermons, maps, wills, deeds, unpublished town and family genealogies, photos, and papers of the region's best genealogists since 1850.

Rhode Island Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 433 Greenville, RI 02828 Email: [mailto:info@rigensoc.org info@rigensoc.org] Website: Rhode Island Genealogical Society


 * Website provides some listings of holdings in Rhode Island libraries pertaining to RI genealogical and historical research. Some online resources available to members only.

Rhode Island Historical Society
Rhode Island Historical Society 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Telephone: 401-331-8575 Fax: 401-351-0127 Website: Rhode Island Historical Society


 * Houses the state's largest genealogical collection including local histories, manuscripts, census, cemetery, military, economic, social, church records, family Bibles, family histories, newspapers, genealogy, women’s history, and business records.

Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives 337 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903-3302 Telephone: 401-277-2353 Fax: 401-277-3199 Website: Rhode Island State Archives


 * The collection of historical records dates from 1638 to the present. Holdings include state census records at ten year intervals between 1865-1935; state birth and marriage records for the years 1853-1897, state deaths for the years 1853-1947; and military records. The archives also maintains a large map collection.

Rhode Island State Library
Rhode Island State Library


 * They have the largest book collection in the state, including almost all state and town histories, biographies, and genealogies.

Brown University Rockefeller Library
Brown University Rockefeller Library


 * Virtually a second state archives with a huge book collection, manuscripts regarding New England settlers, biographies, and genealogies.

East Greenwich Free Library
82 Peirce Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Telephone: 401-884-9510 Website: East Greenwich Free Library


 * Available online are town histories, digital RI newspaper archives, and RI Sanborn map collection (this last requires user ID and password).

Newport Historical Society
Newport Historical Society 82 Touro Street Newport, RI 02840 Telephone: 401-846-0813 Website: Newport Historical Society


 * The Library dates to the founding of the Newport Historical Society in 1854 and includes works on the history of Newport County and the surrounding area. The collection contains approximately 12,000 volumes reflecting the settlement and development of Newport County. Because Rhode Island was established by settlers and refugees from other colonies, the collection includes works on early Southeastern New England families and governments that contributed to the history of Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations. Also included are general reference works.

Providence City Archives
Providence City Hall 25 Dorrance Street Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-421-7740 Website: Providence City Archives


 * Holdings include early town records, vital records (including indexes to births, marriages, and deaths 1636 to mid-20th century - some restrictions may apply), tax records, probate records and indices, various property records, records of government proceedings, etc. For additional information, see Basic Holdings and Research.

Roger Williams University Library
Roger Williams University Library


 * Their huge book selection includes periodicals, newspapers, biography indexes, genealogies, family folders and histories, indexes and the largest Baptist collection in New England.

University of Rhode Island Carothers Library
University of Rhode Island Carothers Library
 * This collection has books, maps, biographies, and histories about Rhode Island residents.

Westerly Public Library
Westerly Public Library


 * There large genealogical book collection includes family folders, family histories, and indexes regarding Rhode Island families.

Guide
An important inventory of manuscript records of the state, county, and town archives is Clarence S. Brigham, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1903, Volume 1 (Washington, D.C.: American Historical Association, 1904)

Websites
You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Rhode Island in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost. Addresses on the Internet change frequently. The following sites are important gateways linking you to many more sites:


 * The USGenWeb Project A cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country.
 * Roots-L A useful list of sites and resources. Includes a large, regularly-updated research coordination list.
 * FamilySearch™ FamilySearch is a collection of computer files containing several million names. FamilySearch is a good place to begin your research. Some of the records come from compiled sources; some have been automated from original sources.