Many records, documents and histories are available at libraries, archives and museums. Much information is accessible at the local, county, state and national levels.
Please remember, if you, as a genealogist don’t ask; then you may not find, what you are looking for. Also, any one is likely to receive more of what you need, with a good attitude and a little money. Plan to spend some time, to find the specific records or information, that you may want or need.
The records that you, as a genealogist are looking for, may be under one category in one state, or county and another name or category in another state or county. Some staff members may realize, what you are asking for, and some may not. Do not assume, that a county, town or local area has the same name as it did, in the time, for which you are looking.
States began as territories. Each territory would be divided into large counties. When the territory became a state, those large counties would be divided, into smaller counties. The name of an original county, might not even appear as the name of a county, in the new state. One needs to make sure, and look in the right place. It is very easy to go off track, if you are not careful. You should call, email or look at the website, if there is one for a library, archive or museum. A genealogist may be able to find out, if the information one seeks is at that site.
Not every county, in every state has an archive. One county may have all of the materials from the surrounding counties in one place. Almost, every county will have a library. Not every county, will have a museum or an archive.
An archive may have copies, of documents for sale. Libraries will often make, or let a customer make copies of documents, for a price. In a small town, one may find all of the items, from a library, an archive and a museum in one place. It is wise to find out ahead of time, exactly where the records or documents, that one requires actually are, before one makes a trip.
These are some of documents and records that one may find in libraries, archives and museums:
(Some of these categories are overlapping)
African American Records
American Indian Histories
American Indian Records
American Revolution Battle Records
American Revolution Casualty lists
American Revolution Histories
American Revolution Records
American Revolution Roster Records
Army Casualty Records
Army Records
Biographies
Birth Certificates
Birth Records
Boy Scout Records
Cartographic Records
Census Records
Church Organizations
Church Records
Civil War Battle Records
Civil War Casualty lists
Civil War Histories
Civil War Records
Civil War Roster Records
Clubs
College Fraternities
College Histories
College Records
College Sororities
College Student Records
County Government Records
County Histories
County Land Records
County Organizations
County Political Records
County Records
County Tax Records
Court Records
Dawes Rolls (Native American Records)
Death Records
Diaries
Eastern Cherokee Rolls of 1909 (Guion Miller Rolls)
Federal Records
Girl Scout Records
Immigration Records
Indentured Servant Records
Insane Asylums
Institutions
Journals
Korean War Battle Records
Korean War Casualty Lists
Korean War Histories
Korean War Records
Korean War Roster Records
Land Records
Local Family Trees
Local Family Records
Local Government Records
Local Histories
Local Map Records
Local Map Records of land ownership
Local Organizations
Local Political Records
Local Records
Map Records
Marriage Certificates
Marriage Records
Masonic Lodge Records
Men’s Clubs
Mental Institutions
Mexican War Battle Records
Mexican War Casualty Lists
Mexican War Histories
Mexican War Records
Mexican War Roster Records
Military Biographies
Military Map Records
Military Records
Military Service Records
Nationalization Records
National Political Records
Native American Records
Navy Casualty Records
Navy Records
Obituary Records
Organizations
Passenger List’s
Personal Biographies
Personal Diaries
Personal Journals
Personal Records
Political Election Records
Political Party Records
Poorhouse Census Records
Poorhouse Records
Prison Census Records
Prison Records
Private School Organizations
Private School Records
Probate and Associated Records
Public School Organizations
Public School Records
Real Property Records
Real Property Tax Records
Real Property Transfer Records
Reformatory Records
Regional Histories
Ship’s Lists
Slave records
Slave Sale Records
State Organizations
State Political Records
State Records
State Tax Records
Territory Records
Trust Records
University Fraternities
University Histories
University Records
University Sororities
University Student Records
Vietnam War Battle Records
Vietnam War Casualty Lists
Vietnam War Histories
Vietnam War Records
Vietnam War Roster Records
War of 1812 Battle Records
War of 1812 Casualty Lists
War of 1812 Histories
War of 1812 Records
War of 1812 Roster Records
Wills and Associated Records
Women’s Clubs
World War I Battle Records
World War I Casualty Records
World War I Histories
World War I Records
World War I Roster Records
World War II Battle Records
World War II Casualty Records
World War II Histories
World War II Records
World War II Roster Records