Source: http://www.nara.gov National Archives and Records Administration The Genealogy Page Genealogists are no doubt the most numerous users of the Washington, DC, research rooms, and 13 regional records service facilities of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Because of the sheer size of our holdings, it will be many years before electronic access to a significant portion of our genealogical records is possible. In the interim, this area provides many of the finding aids, guides, and research tools that can prepare you for a visit to one of our facilities. Genealogical Publications Quick Guides Our genealogy staff has prepared several online essays to assist you in using NARA's records for your research. Keep watching this area for future additions. * Beginning Your Genealogical Research * How to Use NARA's Census Microfilm Catalogs * Naturalization Records * The Soundex Indexing System * Post Office Records can offer frequently overlooked information about an ancestor or an ancestor's community. * Civil War Records * Confederate Pension Records NARA offers a number of free publications from the Product Sales Section (NWPS), National Archives and Records Administration, Room G9, Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408 (telephone: 202-501-5235 or 1-800-234-8861; fax 202-501-7170). General Information Leaflets (GILs) * GIL 5. "Using Records in the National Archives for Genealogical Research," 27 pp. * GIL 7. "Military Service Records in the National Archives," 14 pp. * GIL 30. "Information About the National Archives for Prospective Researchers," 24 pp. Focuses on research in the Washington, DC, area, facilities. The free catalog "Aids for Genealogical Research" describes publications by NARA and various commercial sources. NARA's Book Store offers for sale many publications for genealogists. These include The Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, which provides an excellent introduction to the topic. The Soundex Machine Visit the Soundex Machine to have your family's name automatically coded into Soundex. Knowing the Soundex code is an important first step in research using NARA's census microfilm holdings (1880-1920). Catalogs of Microfilm Publications We have placed online a series of NARA microfilm catalogs related to subjects of high research interest to genealogists. Each catalog has been compiled through an extensive review of all microfilmed records relevant to each topic. The catalogs contain both detailed descriptions of the records and roll-by-roll listings for each microfilm publication. Each catalog is also available for purchase in convenient print format. * Census Records * Military Service Records * Immigrant and Passenger Arrivals * Genealogical and Biographical Research * Federal Court Records * American Indians * Black Studies * Microfilm Resources for Research: A Comprehensive Catalog Microfilm is available at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, at 13 of our regional records services facilities, and through our Microfilm Rental Program (please note that only selected titles are available for rental). In addition, many large libraries and genealogical societies have purchased all or some of the microfilm sets listed above. Regional Records Services Facilities These selected facilities have genealogical microfilm holdings (described under the "Services for the Public" sections their pages). Since not all facilities have all microfilm sets, please call before visiting. * Anchorage * Atlanta (East Point) * Boston (Waltham) * Chicago * Denver * Fort Worth * Kansas City * Laguna Niguel, California * New York City * Center City Philadelphia * Pittsfield, Massachusetts * San Francisco (San Bruno) * Seattle Genealogy Workshops and Courses NARA offers the public a comprehensive program of genealogical workshops and courses. Topics include an introduction to genealogy and research into records such as census schedules, military service and pension records, and passenger lists. For information about workshops and courses in Washington, DC, researchers should consult the Calendar of Events. Separate genealogy programs are conducted by 13 regional records services facilities . For details, contact the regional facilities directly. Genealogical Data in NAIL Currently, the searchable database NAIL contains only limited genealogical data: * descriptions of 52,000 Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole applications for enrollment to the Five Civilized Tribes (Dawes Commission) between 1898 and 1914 * descriptions of 50,000 Fort Smith, Arkansas, criminal case files Introduction Talk to your relatives. Begin your family history research by finding out as much information as you can from living family members: * Names of ancestors, their spouses, and their siblings * Dates of birth, marriage, death, and divorce * The places (town, county, state or province, and country) where these events occurred Borrow books from your public library on genealogical research. These will tell you what records are available, where they can be found, and describe the research process. This is an extremely important step in your research! These are a few of the many "how to" books which have been published: Crandall, Ralph J. Shaking Your Family Tree. Dublin, NH: Yankee Publishing, 1986. Croom, Emily A. Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, 1995. Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1990. Jacobus, Donald Lines. Genealogy as a Pastime and Profession. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. Reprint, 1991. Rubincam, Milton. Pitfalls in Genealogical Research. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1987. Stryker-Rodda, Harriet. How to Climb Your Family Tree. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977. Reprint, 1993. Szucs, Loretto D., and Sandra H. Luebking. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Revised edition. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1997. Join genealogical societies: The National Genealogical Society, the state genealogical society in the state where you live and the state(s) where your ancestors lived, and the county genealogical society in the county where you live and the counties where your ancestors lived. Membership usually costs relatively little ($5-$50) but you get a lot in return. Most societies publish newsletters and other publications that will provide you with information about genealogical research in the area, often including transcripts of actual records. You can find the names and addresses of genealogical societies in Elizabeth Petty Bentley, The Genealogist's Address Book (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1995). This book can be found in many public libraries. Solving Difficult Research Problems Eventually, every genealogical researcher will "hit a brick wall" or have a knotty problem to solve. You can learn much by reading how other people have solved such problems. The articles listed below show you how others solved their research problems. From the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 83, No. 1 (March 1995), see: Thomas W. Jones, "The Children of Calvin Snell: Primary versus Secondary Evidence." Joy Reisinger, "Is Mother Genevieve a Greslon or a Fontaine?" >From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 151, Whole No. 603 (July 1997), see: Vernon D. Turner, "Lydia Gaymer, the Wife of Humphrey Turner of Scituate." Steven E. Sullivan, "Joanna (Adams) Lunt Identified." >From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 128, No. 2 (April 1997), see: Harry Macy Jr., "The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt." Cynthia B. Biasca, "Jacques Hertel and the Indian Princesses." Frederick C. Hart Jr., "A Proposed Family for Thomas Jones of Fairfield,Connecticut, and Huntington, Long Island." The NGS Quarterly, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and the NYG&B Record can be found in libraries with a large genealogical collection, or you may be able to purchase back issues from the societies that published them. Records Available from NARA The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has many records that are useful for genealogical research, such as the Federal population censuses, 1790-1920; military records, American Revolution to 1900; ship passenger arrival lists, 1820-1957; and naturalization records. Begin with Census Records You may wish to begin your research in census records, which are available for 1790-1920. Begin with the 1920 census and work your way backwards. Census records are basic building blocks for your genealogical research; they will provide names of family members, ages, state or country of birth, occupation, and other useful information. You can get access to census records through the National Archives Microfilm Rental Program, which many public libraries participate in. Census records are also widely available at public libraries, historical societies, and other research facilities. Due to staffing limitations, we cannot do census research. Other Useful Federal Records For information on other microfilmed Federal records in the custody of NARA that are useful for genealogical research, consult: Microfilm Resources for Research: A Comprehensive Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1996. Available online or for purchase. American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995. Available online or for purchase. Black Studies: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1996. Available online or for purchase. Diplomatic Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1986. Available online or for purchase. Genealogical & Biographical Research: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1983). Available online or for purchase. Federal Court Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1987. Available online or for purchase. Immigrant & Passenger Arrivals: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1991. Available online or for purchase. Military Service Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985. Available online or for purchase. For information on other Federal records, both microfilmed and unfilmed, in the custody of NARA that are useful for genealogical research, consult: Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985. Available for purchase. A Final Word Do not expect "Star Trek" capabilities in the 1990s. You will not really be able to "do" your genealogical research on the World Wide Web. Remember, old records are handwritten on paper, and now exist either on paper or on microfilm. It is extremely costly to convert old records to an electronic format. NARA is, however, committed to increasing public access to historically significant and representative (sample) documents through our Electronic Access Project. ---------------------------------- Research at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC 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. (Related special media and nontextual records, such as cartographic and architectural records, motion pictures, audio recordings, videocassettes, still pictures, and electronic records are located at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland [Archives II].) A Fax-on-Demand service, for use with the handset on a fax machine, gives information on many topics. Call 301-713-6905. Records housed in the Washington, DC, area will be moving between Archives I, Archives II, and the Washington National Records Center through October 1996. As records are moved, they will be unavailable for research use or reproduction orders. Call 202-501-5400 for information concerning records availability. Researchers must be at least 16 years old. Records are retrieved Monday through Friday for use in the research rooms. Requests for records to be used during evening hours or on Saturday should be submitted by 3 p.m. If research is conducted on Saturday or after the last retrieval time, advance arrangements must be made to have records available. To confirm that records were retrieved, call 202-501-5405. Most of the microfilm collection is stored in research rooms for self-service retrieval. Phone Numbers (area code 202) Public Reference Information: 501-5400 Center for Legislative Archives: 501-5350 Genealogy Staff: 501-5410 Orientation and Research Room Procedures Researchers first visiting the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, speak with a consultant archivist in room G-7 (Researcher Registration). The archivist provides an orientation to the building and records and conducts the registration procedure. Electronic Mail The general inquiry e-mail address is [email protected] National Archives Building, Washington, DC (Archives I) Research Hours Monday & Wednesday 8:45 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:45 am - 9:00 pm Saturday 8:45 am - 4:45 pm Closed Sunday Mailing/Visiting Address National Archives and Records Administration 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20408 Exhibition Hall Hours Open everyday except December 25 Winter Hours: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm Summer Hours: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (April 1 to Labor Day) Location and Directions The National Archives Building is located on Pennsylvania Avenue between Seventh and Ninth Streets, NW. The research entrance to the building is on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Exhibition Hall entrance is on Constitution Avenue. The Archives/Navy Memorial stop on the Yellow and Green Lines of the Metrorail, Washington's subway, is across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Archives building. Parking No parking at the building is available for researchers. Several commercial parking lots are located nearby. A list of commercial parking facilities is available at the following locations: * the guard station at the 7th Street entrance to the National Archives Building loading dock; * the guard station at the Pennsylvania Ave. entrance lobby of the National Archives building; and, * the consultant/researcher registration offices at Archives I (Room G-7) and at Archives II (Room 1000). NARA's Regional Records Services Facilities ------------------------------------------- Anchorage NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Anchorage) 654 West Third Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501-2145 Telephone: 907-271-2443 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 907-271-2442 Atlanta (East Point) NARA's Southeast Region 1557 St. Joseph Avenue East Point, Georgia 30344-2593 Telephone: 404-763-7477 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 404-763-7033 Bayonne, New Jersey NARA's Northeast Region (Bayonne) Building 22, Military Ocean Terminal Bayonne, New Jersey 07002-5388 Telephone: 201-823-7241 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 201-823-5432 Boston (Waltham) NARA's Northeast Region (Boston) 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, Massachusetts 02154-6399 Telephone: 781-647-8100 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 781-647-8460 Chicago NARA's Great Lakes Region (Chicago) 7358 South Pulaski Road Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898 Telephone: 773-581-7816 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 312-353-1294 Dayton NARA's Great Lakes Region (Dayton) 3150 Springboro Road Dayton, Ohio 45439-1883 Telephone: 937-225-2852 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 937-225-7236 Denver NARA's Rocky Mountain Region Building 48, Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 P. O. Box 25307 Denver, Colorado 80225-0307 Telephone: 303-236-0804 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 303-236-9297 Fort Worth NARA's Southwest Region 501 West Felix Street, Building 1 Fort Worth, Texas 76115-3405 P. O. Box 6216 Fort Worth, Texas 76115-0216 Telephone: 817-334-5525 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 817-334-5621 Kansas City NARA's Central Plains Region 2312 East Bannister Road Kansas City, Missouri 64131-3011 Telephone: 816-926-6272 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 816-926-6982 Laguna Niguel, California NARA's Pacific Region (Laguna Niguel) 24000 Avila Road, First Floor-East Entrance Laguna Niguel, California 92677-3497 P. O. Box 6719 Laguna Niguel, California 92607-6719 Telephone: 714-360-2641 E-mail : [email protected] Fax: 714-360-2624 New York City NARA's Northeast Region (New York City) 201 Varick Street New York, New York 10014-4811 Telephone: 212-337-1300 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 212-337-1306 Philadelphia (Center City) NARA's Mid Atlantic Region (Center City Philadelphia) Ninth and Market Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-4292 Telephone: 215-597-3000 E-mail:[email protected] Fax: 215-597-2303 NARA's Mid Atlantic Region (Northeast Philadelphia) 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19154-1096 Telephone: 215-671-9027 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 215-671-8001 Pittsfield, Massachusetts NARA's Northeast Region (Pittsfield) 10 Conte Drive Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201-8230 Telephone: 413-445-6885 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 413-445-7599 San Francisco NARA's Pacific Region (San Francisco) 1000 Commodore Drive San Bruno, California 94066-2350 Telephone: 650-876-9009 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 650-876-9233 Seattle NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle) 6125 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, Washington 98115-7999 Telephone: 206-526-6507 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 206-526-4344 St. Louis NARA's National Personnel Records Center Civilian Personnel Records 111 Winnebago Street St. Louis, Missouri 63118-4199 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 314-425-5719 NARA's National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100 E-Mail: [email protected] Fax: 314-538-4005