Tennessee Archives, Societies & Publications
It is a good idea to familiarize personally with just about any repository in Tennessee that you simply might travel to by communicating with to the best suited archive or library in advance.
Most, if not all, Tennessee repositories have written and published content that present its collections as well as research policy.
Tennessee archives and historical organizations usually have On-line sites that provide equivalent details. Several also contain down loadable data for some or parts of their collections.
List of Tennessee Archives
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243-0312; ; Phone: (615) 741-2764Â , Fax (615) 741-6471
- Tennessee Dept of Health; Vital Records Dept [Birth & Death Records from Jan 1914 ; Central Services Building, 1st Fl, 421 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37247-0450; (615) 741-1763, ; Fax: (615) 726-2559. Has Birth records from January 1914, Death, Marriage and Divorce for last 50 years. After that time, the records are sent to the Tennessee State Library and Archives for public access and family research.
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
- Hal Bernard Dixon Jr. Pentecostal Research Center
- Memphis and Shelby County Room
- Metropolitan Archives of Nashville and Davidson County
- Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives
- Anderson County Archives and Records Department, 100 N. Main Street, 3rd Floor, Clinton , TN 37716; Phone: (865) 457-6242
- Brady-Hughes-Beasley Photographic Archives, 102 S. Spring Street, McMinnville, TN 37110 931-473-8226
- Norris City Archives, P.O. Drawer G, Norris , TN 37828; Phone: (865) 494-7478
- Cocke County Archives, 360 East Main Street, Newport , TN 37821; Phone: (423) 623-8791
- Coffee County Archives, 1327 McArthur Drive, Suite One, Manchester, Tenn. 37355; Phone: (931) 455-4098
- Hamblen County Archives, Room 102, Courthouse, 511 W. 2nd Street, Morristown , TN 37814-1530; Phone: (423) 586-1961
- Hamilton County Records Center, 6233 Dayton Blvd., Chattanooga , TN 37343 ; Phone: (423) 209-8980
- Hancock County Archives, P.O. Box 277, Sneedville , TN 37869; Phone: (423) 733-4524
- Hawkins County Archives, 955 East McKinney Avenue, Rogersville , TN 37857; Phone: (423) 921-0904
- Henry County Archive and Genealogy Library, 55 Jones Bend Ext. Rd., Paris , TN 38242; Phone: (731) 642-8655
- Hickman County Archives, #8, Courthouse, Centerville, TN 37033; Phone: 931-729-6478
- Humphreys County Archives, 122 Wilson Ridge Road, Waverly, TN 37185; Phone: (931) 296-5313
- Jefferson County Archives, Room 203, Jefferson County Courthouse, P.O. Box 1193 Dandridge, TN 37725; 865-397-4904
- Johnson County Archives, 222 W. Main Street, Mountain City , TN 37683; Phone: (423) 727-9696
- Kingsport City Archives, 400 Broad Street, Kingsport, TN 37660; Phone: (423) 224-2559
- Knox County Archives, 500 W. Church Ave., Knoxville , TN 37902, Phone: (865) 215-8804
- Lauderdale County Archives, 957 Doctor Hall Road, Halls, TN 38040; Phone: (731) 836-7073
- Lincoln County Archives, 1000-B Washington St. West, Fayetteville , TN 37334; Phone: (931) 732-4214
- Macon County Archives, 204 Macon County Courthouse , Public Square, Lafayette , TN 37083; Phone: (615) 666-6030; (615) 666-6912
- Madison County Archives, 1981 Hollywood Drive, Suite 300, Jackson, TN 38305; Phone: (731) 423-2723
- Maury County Archives,  201 East 6th Street, Columbia , TN 38401; Phone: (931) 375-1500
- McMinn County Archives, 6 East Madison Ave., Athens , TN 37303; Phone: (423) 745-7634
- McNairy County Archives, P.O. Box 764, Selmer , TN 38375; Phone: (901) 645-6432
- Monroe County Archives, 105 College Street, Madisonville , TN 37354; Phone: (615) 442-3981
- Montgomery County Archives, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 101-D, P.O. Box 323, Clarksville , TN 37041-0323 ; Phone: (931) 553-5159
- Overton County Archives, 317 University Street , Suite 1, Livingston , TN 38570; Phone: (931) 823-8864
- Archives of Byrdstown/Pickett County, 79 Pickett Square Annex, Byrdstown, TN 38549; Phone: (931) 864-8676
- Putnam County Archives, 121 South Dixie Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501; (931) 520-0042
- Roane County Archives, P.O. Box 738, Kingston , TN 37763; Phone: (865) 376-9211
- Robertson County Archives, 504 S. Willow St ., Springfield , TN 37172; Phone: (615) 382-6928
- Sevier County Preservation of Records Department, 125 Court Avenue, Suite 201E, Sevierville , TN 37862; Phone: (865) 774 3627
- Center for Southern Folklore, Archives, 119 S. Main Street, Suite 106, PO Box 226, Memphis, TN 38101 901-525-3655
- Smith County Archives, P.O. Box 112, Carthage , TN 37030; Phone: (615) 735-0200
- Stewart County Archives, 660 Old Highway 79, Dover , TN 37058; (931) 232-7062
- Sullivan County Archives, P.O. Box 3179, Blountville , TN 37617; Phone: (423) 323-4660
- Sumner County Archives, 155 East Main Street, Gallatin , TN 37066; Phone: (615) 452-0037
- Van Buren County Archives, 330 Baker Mountain Road, Spencer , TN 38585; Phone: (931) 473-2505
- Wayne County Archives, Room 305 Courthouse, Waynesboro , TN 38485; Phone: (931) 722-5016
- White County Archives, 1 E. Bockman Way, Rm 304 Courthouse, Sparta, TN 38583; (931)837-4066 – White County Archives office was established 01 Dec 2002 & opened to the public Feb 2003
- Williamson County Archives, P.O. Box 1006, Franklin , TN 37065; Phone: (615) 790-5462
- Wilson County Archives, 111 South College Street , Lebanon , TN 37087; Phone: (615) 443-1993
List of Tennessee Libraries & Museums
- Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum
- Bulls Gap Railroad Museum and Community Development Corp
- Huntingdon Historical Museum, 19699 E. Main Street, PO Box 668, Huntingdon, TN 38344 731-986-2900
- Travellers Rest Plantation & Museum, 636 Farrell Parkway, Nashville, TN 37220 615-832-8197
- Chattanooga African American Heritage Museum, 200 E. Martin L. King Blvd., PO Box 11493, Chattanooga, TN 37403 423-266-8658
- Chattanooga Regional History Museum, 400 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 423-265-3247
- Haywood County Museum, 127 N. Grand Avenue; College Hill Center, PO Box 207, Brownsville, TN 38012 731-772-0380
- Granville Museum, PO Box 26, Granville, Tennessee 38564
- Jonesborough-Washington County History Museum, (Heritage Alliance), 117 Boone Street, Jonesborough, TN 37659 423-753-1015
- Obion County Museum, 1004 Edwards Street, Union City, TN 38261 731-885-6774
- Albert Gore Research Center
- Nashville Public Library
- Rhodes College
- Memphis / Shelby County Public Library & Information Center
- Bolivar-Hardeman County Library, 213 N. Washington Street, Bolivar, TN 38008 731-658-3436
- Cheatham County Public Library, 188 County Services Drive, Suite 200, Ashland City, TN 37015 615-792-4828
- Freed Hardeman University, Historical Room, 158 E. Main Street, Henderson, TN 38340 731-989-6000
- Dickson County Public Library, 305 Hunt St, Dickson 37055
- Fentress County Public Library, 306 South Main Street, Jamestown, TN 38556 931-879-7512
- Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentenniel Library, 1001 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402; (423) 757-5317
- Middleton Community Library, 110 Bolton Ave., P.O. Box 40, Middleton, TN 38052 731-376-0680
- Obion County Public Library, 1221 East Reelfoot, Union City, TN 38261 731-885-7000
List of Tennessee Historical & Genealogical Societies
For almost every state there is a state genealogical society, a state genealogical council, or both.
In addition to their own work, Tennessee groups many times help coordinate the efforts of local societies throughout the Tennessee.
Their unique publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those created through the area societies.
Regional and State Societies
- Tennessee Genealogical Society, 9114 Davies Plantation Rd, Brunswick, TN 38014, (901) 381-1447 ;Â The Tennessee Genealogical Society was founded in 1952 and received its charter from the state of Tennessee in 1954. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, completely staffed by volunteers. The society is presently located near Memphis in the historic area of Old Germantown at 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN 38138-5952. The Society’s offices and lecture room are part of the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center (GRHGC), which houses a library of more than 14,000 volumes.
- Mid-west Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3343, Jackson 38303-0343
- Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 111249, Memphis 38111-1249
- Tennessee Historical Commission, Clover Bottom Mansion, 2941 Lebanon Road, Nashville, TN 37243-0442; 615-532-1550
- Tennessee Historical Society, 300 Capital Boulevard, Nashville 37243
- Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution
- Tennessee Society Sons of the Revolution
- East Tennessee Historical Society
- Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3016, Nashville 37219-0016
- Tennessee Valley Historical Society
- West Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 111046, Memphis 38111
- Tennessee Historical Society Website
- Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association, P.O. Box 575, Cookeville 38503
County, Township and City Societies
- Anubis Society, 1816 Oak Hill Drive, Kingston 37763
- Benton County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 775, Camden 38320
- Bledsoe’s Lick Historical Association, P.O. Box 210, Castalian Springs 37031
- Blount County Genealogical & Historical Society, P.O. Box 653, Maryville 37803
- Bradley County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1384, Cleveland 37364-1384
- Bradley County Historical Society, 833 North Ocoee St, Cleveland 37311
- Campbell County Historical Society, 101 South 6th St, La Follette 37766
- Carroll County Historical Society, 166 N.Main St, Mc Kenzie 38201
- Carter County & It’s People 1796-1993, P.O. Box 176, Elizabethton 37643
- Cheatham County Historical And Genealogical Association, P. O. Box 703 , 233 N. Vine Street, Ashland City 37015, Phone 615-792-3623
- Chester County Historical Society, P.O. Box 721, Henderson, TN 38340-0721
- Claiborne County Historical and Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 32, Tazewell, Tennessee 37879, Telephone (423) 626-0500
- Coffee County Historical Society, 101 W. Ft. St., Box 2, Manchester 37355-7502
- Cumberland County Historical Society, Main Street, Crossville 38557
- Decatur County Historical Society, P.O. Box 700, Decaturville, TN 38329
- Dyer County Historical Society, 120B McGaughey Street E., Dyersburg, TN 38024; 731-286-7829
- East Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 1629, Knoxville 37901
- Fayette County Historical Society, Somerville-Fayette County Library, 216 West Market Street, Somerville, TN 38068 901-465-5248
- Fentress County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 178, Jamestown 38556
- Fentress County Historical Society, P. O. Box 1431, Jamestown, TN 38556-1431
- Franklin County Historical Society, P.O. Box 130, Winchester 37398
- Gen. John Sevier Chap.of The Sons Of The Revolution, 624 George Davis Ave., Sevierville 37862
- Giles County Historical Society, P.O. Box 693, Pulaski 38478
- Greene County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1903, Greeneville 37744
- Grundy County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1422, Pelham 37387
- Hamblen County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1213, Morristown, TN 37816; (423) 586-5581
- Hamblen County Historical Society, 346 Fuller Estate Circle, Morristown, TN 37813; (423) 581-8386
- Hancock County Historical & Genealogical Society, PO Box 307, Sneedville, TN 37869 423-733-0140
- Hardin County Historical Society, 601 Main St, Savannah 38372
- Hawkins County Genealogical & Historical Society, P.O. Box 429, Rogersville 37587-0429
- Henry County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1411, Paris, TN 38242
- Hickman Co. Historical Society, P.O. Box 64, Centerville, TN 37033; phone: (931) 729-3279
- Holston Terr Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 433, Bristol
- Houston County Historical Society, P.O. Box 401, Erin 37061
- Humphreys County Historical Society, Waverly 37185
- Jackson County Historical Society
- Jefferson County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 267, Jefferson City 37760
- Jefferson County Historical Society, P.O. Box 325, Dandridge 37725
- Johnson City Historical Society, Johnson City 37601
- Johnson County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1, Mountain City 37683
- Lake County Historical Society, 122 LeDuke Street, Tiptonville, TN 38079
- Lauderdale County Historical Society, 957 Doctor Hall Road, Halls, TN 38040-8727; Phone: (901) 836-7073
- Lawrence County Genealogical Society, 218 North Military Ave. Suite B-, Lawrenceburg 38464
- Lewis County Historical Society, PO Box 703, Hohenwald, TN 38462 931-796-3505
- Lincoln County Genealogical Society, 1508 Washington Street, Fayetteville, TN 37334; (931) 625-2939
- Historical Society of Loudon County, 101 Foster Drive, Lenoir City, TN 37772; (865) 986-9815
- Loudon County Heritage Association, PO Box 466, Loudon, TN 37774
- Macon County Historical Society, P.O. Box 231, Lafayette 37083-0231
- Marion County Genealogical & Historical Group, 6611 Old Dunlap Road, Whitwell, TN 37397; (423) 658-5770
- Marshall County Historical Society, 224 Third Ave N., Lewisburg 37091
- Maury County Historical Society, 804 Athenaeum St., Columbia, TN 38401; (931) 388-5373
- Melissa Fannin, 843 Bethlehem Road,
- Mid-west Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3343, Jackson 38303-0343
- Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3016, Nashville 37219-0016
- Montgomery County Historical Society, P.O. Box 262, Clarksville 37041
- Morgan County Genealogical & Historical Society, Rt 2, Box 992, Wartburg 37887
- Mt. Juliet Historical Society, P.O. Box 319, Mt. Juliet 37122
- Northeast Sumner Historical Society, P.O. Box 417, Westmoreland 37186
- Obion County Historical Society, P.O. Box 241, Union City 38261
- Obion County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 241, Union City, TN 38261
- Overton County Historical Society, West Broad Street, Livingston TN 38570; (931) 403-0909
- Oliver Springs Historical Society, 727 Main Street, Oliver Springs 37840
- Perry County Historical Society, c/o Perry County Public Library, 104 College Street Linden, TN 37096; (931)-589-5011
- Pleasant Hill Historical Society of the Cumberlands, Main Street, PO Box 264, Pleasant Hill, TN 38578 931-277-5313
- Paris Area Genealogical Society, 344 Cay Lawrence Rd., Buchanan 38222
- Pellissippi Genealogical & Historical Society, 118 S. Hicks Street, Clinton 37716
- Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 636, Benton, TN 37307-0636
- Rhea County Historical & Genealogical Society, 4211 Wolf Creek Road, Po Box 31 , Dayton, Tennessee 37321-0031
- Roane County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 297, Kingston 37763-0297
- Roane County Heritage Commission, Kingston 37763-0297
- The Robertson County Historical Society & Museum, 124 6th Avenue West, P.O. Box 1022, Springfield, TN 37172; (615)382-7173
- Rutherford County Historical Society, PO Box 906, Murfreesboro, TN 37133 615-890-5200
- Smith County Historical & Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 112, Carthage 37030
- Smoky Mountain Historical Society, P.O. Box 5078, Sevierville 37864-5078
- Stewart County Historical Society, Dover 37058
- Sullivan County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 568, Blountville, TN 37617
- Sumner County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1871, Gallatin 37066
- Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 111249, Memphis 38111-1249
- Tennessee Historical Society, 300 Capital Boulevard, Nashville 37243
- Trousdale County Historical Society, 211 White Oak Street, Hartsville, TN 37074 615-374-3677
- Tennessee Kinfolks Project,
- Union County Historical Society Inc., P. O. Box 95, Maynardville, TN 37807; Ph (865) 992-2136
- Vonore Historical Society, c/o Vonore Public Library, 611 Church Street, Vonore, TN 37885 423-884-6729
- Van Buren County Historical Society, P.O. Box 126, Spencer 38585
- Warren County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 411, Mc minnville 37110
- Wayne County Historical Society, P.O. Box 866, Waynesboro 38485-0866
- Weakley County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 92, Martin 38237
- West Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 111046, Memphis 38111
- West Wilson County Historical Society, P.O. Box 337, Mt. Juliet 37122
- Weakley County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 92, Martin, TN 38237
- White County Genealogical-historical Society, P.O. Box 721, Sparta, TN 38583; (615) 836-2293
- White House Historical Society, 412 Highway 76, White House 37188
- Williamson County Historical Society, P.O. Box 71, Franklin 37065
Religious and Ethnic Societies
Tennessee Newspapers & Publications
Tennessee Genealogical publications (magazines, newsletters, periodicals, books, etc.) contain all types of invaluable information about specific ancestors, whole lineages and families, places in time, and about all sorts of genealogical records and repositories.
The TSLA holds the biggest collections of Tennessee manuscripts. Several guides to those collections have been published. There is also an index of Tennessee century farms available at the state archives. That index lists family histories that have been compiled by those whose families have owned a certain farm for more than a century.
The WPA collected several verbatim record transcripts from counties in Tennessee in the 1930s. Many early county records are part of that collection. The TSLA holds the only full abstract set for those records. They have 93 microfilm reels that cover almost 1,500 volumes.
Newspapers
There are many Tennessee newspapers that have been collected and stored at the TSLA. There is also a Nashville newspaper death and birth index available, but it is incomplete.
Several early newspapers from Tennessee are also part of the Draper Collection, copies of which can be found in many places. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin holds the original Draper Collection.
- Tennessee Newspapers Directory Listings
- Inventory of Newspapers on Microfilm at TSLA
- Historical Newspapers from Tennessee (1795 – 1929 ) – Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
- Tennessee Newspaper List
Periodicals
Genealogical journals provide you with plenty of sources of information and facts, they are generally overlooked by genealogy and family history researchers and genealogist in looking around for family history.
Many regional and county genealogical and/or historical societies produce periodicals which have records relating to the region or vicinity they operate.
Frequently these publications have articles involving records that are not obtainable somewhere else.
- Ansearchin’ News (1954–present). A publication of the Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 12124, Dept. AN, Memphis, Tennessee 38112.
- Bulletin (1972–present). A publication of the Watauga Association of Genealogists, Johnson City, Tennessee 37605.
- Chattanews. Published by the Chattanooga Area Historical Association, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402.
- East Tennessee Roots. Published by Tennessee Valley Publications, Paula Gammell, ed., 1345 Oak Ridge Turnpike #318, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830.
- Echoes (1955–1984). The East Tennessee Historical Society ceased its publication but replaced it with Tennessee Ancestors (see below).
- Family Findings (1969–present). A publication of the Midwest Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3343, Jackson, Tennessee 38303.
- Pellissippian (1980–present). A publication of the Pellissippian Genealogical and Historical Society, 118 Hicks, Clinton, Tennessee 38303.
- The River Counties Quarterly (1972–present). Published by Jill Garrett, 610 Terrace, Columbia, Tennessee 38401.
- Tennessee Ancestors (1985–present). This publication replaced Echoes for the East Tennessee Historical Society, 500 West Church Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-2505.
- The Tennessee Historical Quarterly (1942–present). Published by the Tennessee Historical Commission, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
- Calvin Morgan McClung Historical Collection of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, &c.
- Calendar of the Tennessee and King’s Mountain papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts
Books
- Tennessee Books at Amazon.com
- Tennessee Historical Books (1749 – 1900) -rare and fully searchable old books, historical maps and documents give fresh insights into the daily lives of your early Tennessee ancestors.
- Genealogy Publishing Company
- Southern Historical Press Tennessee Books