Digital Collections and Exhibits
North Carolina State Archives Special Exhibits
The Archives provides online access to a number of special exhibits that showcase their holdings including: Treasures of the Archives, Pioneers in Aviation, A Carolina Christmas and many more.
State Library of North Carolina Digital Collections
The Library provides online access to numerous collections which contain information relevant to genealogists and family historians such as An Era of Progress and Promise which contains biographies of prominent African-American ministers, educators, and scholars, and From Crossroads to Capital: The Founding and Early History of Raleigh, North Carolina which contains biographies of early influential state leaders.
Colonial and State Records Online
A digital version of the 26-volumes series The Colonial and State Records of North Carolina. This series contains documents from North Carolina's settlement through the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Documenting the American South
This digital publishing initiative provides online access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. It also boasts the largest collection of southern African-American and slave information online.
Eastern North Carolina Digital Library
This project brings together local history materials, historical fiction related to these localities, and museum artifacts that highlight Eastern North Carolina's rich past. It also provides classroom resources such as lesson plans for integrating these materials into K-12 studies.
North Carolina MOSAIC
A portal that provides information about and links to North Carolina government information, including county Register of Deeds records.
Wake County Public Library Special Collections
This website provides access to Raleigh City Directories, transcriptions of personal diaries, a list of farmers/landowners in Wake County in the 1890s, and an index of Confederate Burials in Raleigh’s Oakwood cemetery.
In-House Services
North Carolina State Archives Search Room
The North Carolina State Archives receives visitors to the Search Room Tuesday through Saturday, as well as more than 17,000 postal mail and e-mail inquiries each year. Instructions on how best to conduct research, either in person or by mail are included on their website.
State Library of North Carolina Genealogy Services
The State Library’s genealogy reading room serves over 6,300 visitors per year and provides research assistance in-person, over-the-phone, via postal mail, and e-mail. Their website provides research aids and access to genealogy databases, as well as information for beginning genealogical research and tracking ancestors back to North Carolina.
Online Research Aids
Ancestor Chart
This blank chart provides users with a method of recording information about the relationships between their ancestors.
Archives Information Circulars
Essays written by Archives staff to introduce resources and various areas of research. Topics included are: Revolutionary War Pay Vouchers, Census Records, 1787-1920, Tennessee records, Civil War records, Military Personnel records, maps, Revolutionary War records, the colonial and state records, marriage bonds, as well as records relating to African Americans, and Native Americans.
County Formation
A historical record of how and when North Carolina counties were formed.
Finding Slave Records: A Bibliography
A list of books, articles, websites and other resources for finding and using slave records.
Guide to County Records
A listing of more than 9,000 bound volumes, 21,000 boxes, and over 24,000 reels of microfilm containing county government records and documents available to researchers in the State Archives.
Manuscript and Archives Reference System (MARS)
MARS is the online catalog for the State Archives and has recently been upgraded to provide access to many new features including images of certain documents. Images are accessible via the DjVu Viewer Browser Plug-in, available for free download from LizardTech.
Online finding aids
Detailed listings of records in the custody of the State Archives, including academic records, non-textual materials (such as photographs), organization records, private collections, and State Agency records
Original County Estates Papers
Listings of papers that relate to the settlement of a person’s estate. These listings were compiled by volunteers.
Publications for Sale
A list of microfilm and other resources that can be purchased from the State Archives. Subject areas are: County Records, State Government Records, Military Records, and Tennessee Records.
Vital Records Information
Information on how to locate and use North Carolina vital records including birth/death certificates and marriage licenses.
Subscription Databases
Ancestry.com Library Edition
Provides online accessibility to census, birth, marriage, death, military records and much more.
HeritageQuest
Provides access to research materials for tracing family histories and studying American culture.