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Whether you are an expert genealogist or new to family research, our collection offers you access to one of the finest and most comprehensive collections in Arkansas. The collection consists of over 14,000 print resources, as well as microfilm, microfiche, maps, and a digital image archive.
While the collection represents all the states and has an Arkansas focus, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland are well represented because they were the principal states from which early settlers migrated to Arkansas.
Microfilm / Microfiche
While our collections have an Arkansas focus, we hold materials from around the country. States with high patterns of early migration to Arkansas are well-represented (VA, NC, SC, GA, KY, TN, PA, MD and MO).
Record collection start dates for the county are listed below. Information from these periods may be found at the library or the Washington County Archive.
After Grace Keith retired as Director of the Fayetteville Public Library, she persuaded the Library Board to let her establish a genealogy collection in a corner of the library. Since Ms. Keith was born and raised in Washington County and was a descendant of many of the early settlers, she had been consulted frequently by people who wanted to research their family histories.
Starting in 1977 with a modest collection, she continued to add genealogical material until it became a very respectable adjunct to the library. In 1985, the Library Board named the genealogical collection in her honor just prior to her second retirement. The thriving collection outgrew the space available and moved into a larger library annex at the Dickson Street location in 1992. As the library began outgrowing all available spaces, plans commenced to build the Blair Library facility on Mountain Street. The Fayetteville Public Library moved into the Blair Library in October 2004, moving the genealogy collection into one of the most innovative library buildings in the nation. The genealogy collection continued to evolve into one of the best collections in the region, again making collection space needs critical. The Fayetteville Public Library began an 82,000+ square foot expansion in 2019 that included an expanded genealogy collection, along with designated meeting and technology spaces for researchers.
A groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research.
Find census, military, immigration, and vital records at Ancestry.com. This resource is only available inside the library.
Search census records, books, Freedman's Bank, and more
Find Fayetteville obituary records from 1842 onward
Need access to the library's genealogical records, but can't make it to the library? Our librarians can do the research for you!
*Please note that there are some costs involved.
Find information on land records from 1834 - 1991 and marriage records from 1845 - 1941 in Washington County, Arkansas.
Find records from school districts in Washington County.
Search the library's extensive collection of materials to jump start your research. Using the advanced search you may narrow by subject "genealogy".
Search the Fayetteville Digital Image Archive to enhance your research. After entering your keyword term or an asterisk (*), use the “Limit by” drop down menu to select “Digital Collection” to focus the search within the image archive.
Requests for research for librarians to research specific obituaries or genealogy questions on your behalf (research fees may apply). Please submit the Request for Research form or contact the genealogy desk for more information
The easiest way to begin is to start with you. You know more than you think!
You are ready to start with our resources.
Interested in learning more about genealogy? Join the Genealogy Basics course available through the library’s subscription to Gale Courses. This course is free with your FPL library card, and will help you learn the resources to begin your research.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to speak with a genealogist, then please contact us at 479.856.7253 or genealogy@faylib.org.
Need access to the library's genealogical records, but can't make it to the library? Our librarians can do the research for you! Research fees apply.
Please fill out and submit our Request for Research form.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Genealogy Department, then please apply by emailing us at genealogy@faylib.org.
If you are interested in making a financial donation to support the genealogy department, please contact our Director of Development, Christina Karnatz, at 479.856.7140.
If you are interested in donating genealogical books to our collection, please contact the Genealogy Desk at 479.856.7253 or genealogy@faylib.org to learn more.
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Fayetteville Public Library
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Fayetteville, AR, US, 72701
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