Digital State Archives



A good resource to investigate is what is available in the ancestral home state archives. The longer an ancestor lived in a specific state the more likely there can be quite a few records to search. Even if the relative lived but a few years in a certain state, do check that state’s archives to see if anything is present.

The variety of items in an archive can vary with the state. There can be photos, documents, letters, records, military documents, court records, deeds and oral histories, just to name a few. 

On this site is a listing of all the states including the District of Columbia with a link to that state’s archive site. So each will be different since the states did not do a uniform set up of their digital archives.

Click on the state of interest. There will be an introduction and with a listing of the type of documents and records are online for that state. Then click on the link for that state’s archive site. Here will be the details and setup for your search. A reminder, the date span for some vital records in states can vary. In one state birth records may go from 1820 to 1910 and yet another state has birth records for 1870 to 1920.

You will have some states where all the information can be downloaded and others where you will need to have a written request to have a copy mailed to you.

However, do make a point to check each state where your ancestor lived. Also look at neighboring states, especially for marriages or divorces, that was common to go to another state for such events, so the records would be in the state where the event happened.

Photos: Tracking Ancestors; States and their capitals; WW One form for Albert Krueger in Florida; and North Dakota Index of Deaths.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

National Archives

Military Pension Archives

Divorce Records in States

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