West Virginia Archives, Societies & Publications

It is a good idea to familiarize personally with just about any repository in West Virginia that you simply might travel to by communicating with to the best suited archive or library in advance.

Most, if not all, West Virginia repositories have written and published content that present its collections as well as research policy.

West Virginia 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 West Virginia Archives

• West Virginia Archives and History, The Cultural Center;
  1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E.; Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Read here before requesting research , Publication: West Virginia History. This facility consists of the library, archives, and a museum containing materials from 1760 to present.
• West Virginia and Regional History Collection, West Virginia University, Colson Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506; (304) 293-3536; This extensive collection, outlined in above categories, includes the Historical Records Survey for West Virginia on microfilm along with the largest collection of West Virginia newspapers and many unpublished family papers. A Guide to Manuscripts and Archives in the West Virginia Collection, available from the library, catalogs the holdings.
• Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Archives, West Virginia Catholic Heritage Center, Suite 201, 2000 Main Street, Wheeling, WV 26003
• Methodist Historical Society/Archives and History Commission, c/o Methodist Archives, Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, West Virginia Wesleyan College, 59 College Avenue, Buckhannon, WV 26101
• Braxton County Family Research Library and Archives, 536 Elk Street, Gassaway, WV 26624

List of West Virginia Libraries & Museums

• Wyoming County Historical Museum, P.O. Box 2041, Oceana, WV 24870; Phone: (304) 682-6231, Extension 308
• Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, West Virginia Collection, 404 West Pike Strett, Clarksburg, WV 26301; Phone: (304) 624-6512, ext. 21
• Hampshire County Public Library, 153 West Main Street, Romney, WV 26757; Phone: (304) 822-3185, Fax: (304) 822-3955
• Jackson County Library, 208 North Church Street, Ripley, WV 25271; Phone: (304) 372-5343
• Kanawha County Public Library, 123 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301; Phone: (304) 343-4646
• Monroe County Public Library, P.O. Box 558, Union, WV 24983 304-772-3038
• Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce Street, Morgantown, WV 26505; Phone: (304) 291-7425
• Old Charles Town Library, 200 East Washington Street, Charles Town, WV 25414; Phone: (304) 725-2208
• Mary H Weir Public Library, 3442 Main Street, Weirton, WV 26062-4590; Phone: (304) 797-8510
• Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library, 3100 Emerson Avenue, Parkersburg, WV 26104; Phone: (304) 485-6564
• Summers County Public Library, 201 Temple Street, Hinton, West Virginia 25951; (304)466-4490

List of West Virginia 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, West Virginia groups many times help coordinate the efforts of local societies throughout the West Virginia.

Their unique publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those created through the area societies.

Regional and State Societies

• West Virginia Genealogical Society, Post Office Box 249, Elkview, West Virginia 25071
• West Virginia Historical Society, PO Box 5220, Charleston, WV  25361

County, Township and City Societies

• Allegheny Regional Family History Society, P.O. Box 1804, Elkins 26241
• Barbour County Historical Society Museum, 200 N Main St, Philippi, WV 26416; (304) 457-4846
• Berkeley County Historical Society, 36 East Race Street, Martinsburg, W.V. 25401; (304) 267-4713
• Bluefield Historical Society, PO Box 1754, Bluefield, WV 24701-5754
• Boone County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 306, Madison 25130
• Braxton County Genealogical Society, 228 Braxton St., Gassaway, WV 26224
• Braxton Historical Society, 226 Birch Street, Gassaway, WV 26624-1104
• Brooke County Genealogical Society Inc., P.O. Box 144, Beech Bottom, WV 26030
• Brooke County Genealogy, 159 Scenery Hill, Wellsburg, WV 26070
• Cabell-Wayne Historical Society, 630 1/2 – 7th Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701
• Carter G. Woodson Memorial Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 5483, Huntington, WV 25703
• Calhoun County Historical and Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 242, Grantsville, WV 26147-0242
• Clay County Landmarks Commission and Historical Society, P. O. Box 670, Clay, WV 25043
• Doddridge County Historical Society,  Route 1, Box 508, Greenwood, WV 26415
• Fayette & Raleigh Counties Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 68, Oak Hill, WV 25901-0068
• Fayette County Historical Society, HC 66 Box 94B, Hico, WV 25854
• Gilmer County Historical Society, P.O. Box 235, 302 E Main St, Glenville, WV 26351; (304) 462-4295
• Grant County Historical / Genealogical Society, HC 72 Box 7006, Scherr, WV 26726-9605
• Greenbrier Historical Society, 301 W. Washington Street, Lewisburg, WV 24901-1324;Tel. (304) 645-3398
• Genealogical Society: Fayette and Raleigh Counties, Inc., PO Box 68, Oak Hill, WV 25901-0068
• Hampshire County Historical Society, P.O. Box 549, Augusta, WV 26704
• Hancock County Historical Society of West Virginia, Swaney Library, New Cumberland, WV 26047; mailing address: 2669 Main Street, Weirton, WV 26062; Phone (304) 748-4829
• Hardy County Historical Society,  P. O. Box 380,
  Moorefield, WV 26836
• Harpers Ferry Historical Association and Bookshop, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Shenandoah Street, PO Box 197, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425; Phone (304) 535-6881
• Harrison County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 387, Clarksburg, WV 26302-0387
• Harrison County Historical Society, P. O. Box 2074, Clarksburg, WV 26302-2074
• Historic Shepherdstown Commission, Historic Shepherdstown Museum, Entler Hotel, Room 200, PO Box 1786, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone (304) 876-0910
• Historical Society of Helvetia, General Delivery, Helvetia, WV 26224
• Jackson County Historical Society, P. O. Box 22, Ripley, WV 25271
• Jefferson County Historical Society, PO Box 485, Charles Town, WV 25414
• Jefferson County Black History Preservation Society, P. O. Box 569, Ranson, WV 25438
• Kanawha Valley Civil War Round Table, 317 18th Street, Dunbar, WV 25064; Phone: 304/389-8587
• Kanawha Valley Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 8555, South Charleston, WV 25303
• Kanawha Valley Historical & Preservation Society, Inc., 507 Peoples Building, P. O. Box 2283, Charleston, WV 25328; 304/342-7676
• KYOWVA Genealogical and Historical Society, PO Box 1254, Huntington, WV 25714-1254
• Lewis County Genealogical-historical Society, 252 Main Avenue, Weston 26452
• Lincoln County Genealogical Society, PO Box 92, 7999 Lynn Avenue, Griffithsville, WV 25521; Phone: (304) 524-7326
• Logan County Genealogical Society, Southern West Virginia Community College Library, P. O. Box 1959,
  Logan, WV 25601
• Marion County Genealogical Club, Marion County Library, 321 Monroe Street, Fairmont, WV 26554; Phone: (304) 366-1210
• Marion County Historical Society & Museum, P. O. Box 1636, Fairmont, WV 26555-1636; 304 • 367 • 5398
• Marshall County Historical Society, 301 13th Street, P. O. Box 267, Moundsville, WV 26041
• Mason City Historical Society, 6 Brown Street, Mason, WV 25260; Phone (304) 773-5557
• Mason County Genealogical-Historical Society, Henderson, WV 25106
• McDowell County Historical Society, c/o Geneva Steele, HC 61 Box 37-B, Paynesville, WV 24873
• Mercer County Historical Society, Inc, PO Box 5012, 908 Harrison Street, Princeton, WV 24740; Phone (304) 425-2697
• Mineral County Historical Society, Inc.,  P. O. Box 1325, Keyser, WV 26726
• Mineral County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1051, 107 Orchard Street, Keyser, WV 26726
• Mingo County Genealogical Society, PO Box 2581, Williamson, WV 25661
• Mingo County Historical Society, 10 Collier Street, Kermit, WV 25674; Phone (304) 393-3370
• Monongalia Historical Society, P. O. Box 127, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Monroe County Historical Society, Inc., P. O. Box 465, Union, WV 24983
• Morgan County Historical and Genealogical Society, Morgan County Public Library, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411;
  mailing address: PO Box 52, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
• Nicholas County Historical and Genealogical Society, Box 443, Summersville, WV 26651
• Nicholas County Historical And Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 443, Summersville 26651
• Pendleton County Historical Society, Inc., Main Street, PO Box 383, Franklin, WV 26807; Phone: (304) 358-7366
• Preston County Historical Society, 109 E. Washington St., Terra Alta 26764
• Pleasants County Historical Society, PO Box 335, Saint Marys, WV 26170; Phone: (304) 684-7621
• Pocahontas County Historical Society, Inc., 810 Second Avenue, Marlinton, WV 24954; For more information call 304-799-6659
• Preston County Historical Society, 215 Jackson Street, Kingwood, WV 26537; Phone: (304) 329-1468
• Ritchie County Historical Society and Museum,  310 Myles Avenue, Pennsboro, WV 26415
• Raleigh County Historical Society, P. O Box 897, Skelton, WV 25919-0897
• Randolph County Historical Society, PO Box 1064, Elkins, WV 26241; Phone (304) 637-7424
• Roane County Historical Society, Inc., P. O. Box 161, Spencer, WV 25276-0161
• Saint Albans Historical Society, 2745 Lincoln Avenue, Saint Albans, WV 25177; mailing address: 919 Lee Street, Saint Albans, WV 25177; Phone: (304) 727-5972
• Summers County Historical Society, PO Box 295, Hinton, WV 25951
• Summers County Historic Landmarks Commission, Hinton, WV 25951; (304)466-4490
• Taylor County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc., PO Box 522, Grafton, WV 26354; Phone: (304) 265-5015
• Tri-state Genealogical & Historical Society, 717 Washington St. Rm.103, Newell 26050
• Tucker County Historical Society, Town Building, PO Box 13, Hambleton, WV 26269; Phone: (304) 478-2916
• Tucker County Historic Landmarks Commission, 215 First Street, Parsons, WV 26287; Telephone: 304.478.2866 ext. 207
• Tyler County Heritage and Historical Society, PO Box 317, Middlebourne, WV 26149; Phone: (304) 758-4288
• Upper Vandalia Historical Society, PO Box 517, Poca, WV 25159
• Upshur County Historical Society, PO Box 2082, Buckhannon, WV 26201; Phone: (304) 472-2738
• Wayne County Genealogical and Historical Society, P. O. Box 787, Wayne, WV 25570-0787
• Webster County Historical Society, Inc.,  1536 Fairview Road, Webster Springs, WV 26288-8343; (304) 847-5269
• Wetzel County Genealogical Society, (defunct)
• Wirt County Genealogical & Historical Society, P. O. Box 891, Elizabeth, WV 26143
• Wheeling Area Genealogical Society, 2237 Marshall Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003
• Wheeling Area Historical Society, 63 Oakland Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003
• Wood County Historical and Preservation Society, P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102; (304) 295-9777
• Wyoming County Genealogical Society, Box 1186, Pineville, WV 24874

Religious and Ethnic Societies

• Methodist Historical Society, Inc., c/o Methodist Archives, Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, West Virginia Wesleyan College, 59 College Avenue, Buckhannon, WV 26101

West Virginia Newspapers & Publications

West Virginia 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.

Newspapers

The West Virginia and Regional History Collection and the Archives and History Library each contain large groups of West Virginia newspapers. Many of those newspapers can also be found on microfilm at the FHL.

• West Virginia Newspapers Directory Listings (onlinenewspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from West Virginia (1808 – 1904) (genealogybank.com) Quickly identify names and keywords and phrases in over 450 million publications, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth announcements as well as other items written and published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added every month!
• West Virginia Newspaper List (usnpl.com)
• Newspapers in the West Virginia University Library (Morgantown, W.Va.: West Virginia University Library, 1973).

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.

Books

• West Virginia Books at Amazon.com (amazon.com)
• West Virginia Historical Books (1749 – 1900) (genealogybank.com) rare and fully searchable old books, historical maps and documents give fresh insights into the daily lives of your early West Virginia ancestors.
• Genealogy Publishing Company (genealogical.com)