Rhode Island Archives and Libraries

These repositories preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Rhode Island.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories for Rhode Island
American Antiquarian Society· American-French Genealogical Society· Brown University Rockefeller Library· Davisville Free Library· East Greenwich Free Library· Judicial Records Center· National Archives at Boston· New England Historic Genealogical Society· Newport Historical Society· Providence City Hall· Providence Public Library· Rhode Island Genealogical Society· Rhode Island Historical Society· Rhode Island State Archives· Rhode Island State Library· Roger William University Library· Tiverton Public Library· University of Rhode Island Carothers Library· Westerly Public Library

Online Records of Rhode Island
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National Archives at Boston
380 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02452-6399 Phone: (781) 663-0130 Fax: (781) 663-0154 E-mail: [mailto:waltham.archives@nara.gov waltham.archives@nara.gov] Website: National Archives at Boston
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 * The National Archives at Boston collects Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, fortifications, coastal facilities, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, genealogy, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, and Canadian border crossings.

Judicial Records Center
5 Hill Street Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860 Telephone: 401-721-2641 Website: Judicial Records Center
 * Rhode Island state and county civil, criminal, and divorce cases 1671-1900, and naturalizations 1671-1982.

Rhode Island Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 433 Greenville, RI 02828 Email: [mailto:info@rigensoc.org info@rigensoc.org] Website: Rhode Island Genealogical Society
 * Website provides some listings of holdings in Rhode Island libraries pertaining to RI genealogical and historical research. Some online resources available to members only.

Rhode Island Historical Society
121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Telephone: 401-331-8575 Fax: 401-351-0127 Website: Rhode Island Historical Society
 * Houses the state's largest genealogical collection including local histories, manuscripts, census, cemetery, military, economic, social, church records, family Bibles, family histories, newspapers, genealogy, women’s history, and business records.

Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903-3302 Telephone: 401-277-2353 Fax: 401-277-3199 E-mail: Contact Us e-mail form Website: Rhode Island State Archives
 * The earliest town records collection from 1638 to the present, state censuses at ten year intervals between 1865-1935; state birth and marriage records for the years 1853-1897, state deaths for the years 1853-1947; and military records. The archives also maintains a large map collection.

Rhode Island State Library
State House 2nd floor 82 Smith St Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-222-2473 Fax: 401-222-3034 E-mail: [mailto:statelibrary@sos.ri.gov statelibrary@sos.ri.gov] Website: Rhode Island State Library
 * They have the largest book collection in the state, including almost all state and town histories, biographies, and genealogies.

American-French Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 2010 78 Earle Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 Telephone: 401-765-6141 Fax: 401-765-6141 E-mail: [mailto:database@afgs.org database@afgs.org] Website: American-French Genealogical Society
 * Has collections pertaining to cultural, genealogical, historical and biographical matter relating to Americans of French and French Canadian descent. Collections include databases, cemetery, headstone and obituary records, as well as French-American marriage records for Rhode Island (see The Forget Files). The website has genealogy links and includes a section on Acadian heritage.



Brown University Rockefeller Library
10 Prospect Street / Box A Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: 401-863-2165 E-mail: [mailto:rock@brown.edu rock@brown.edu] Website: Brown University Rockefeller Library
 * Virtually a second state archives with a huge book collection, manuscripts regarding New England settlers, biographies, and genealogies.

Davisville Free Library
481 Davisville Road North Kingstown, RI 02852 Telephone: 401-884-5524 E-mail: [mailto:askref@askri.org askref@askri.org] Website: Davisville Free Library
 * This a good book collection with good genealogical reference works. It includes genealogical periodicals and family folders.

East Greenwich Free Library
82 Peirce Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Telephone: 401-884-9510 E-mail: E-mail a Librarian form Website: East Greenwich Free Library
 * Researchers will find town histories, digital RI newspaper archives, and the RI Sanborn map collection online (this last requires user ID and password). Also, they have a good collection of genealogical reference books periodicals, and family folders.



Newport Historical Society
82 Touro Street Newport, RI 02840 Telephone: 401-846-0813 E-mail: [mailto:bsullivan@newporthistorical.org bsullivan@newporthistorical.org] Website: Newport Historical Society
 * The Library dates to the founding of the Newport Historical Society in 1854 and includes works on the history of Newport County and the surrounding area. The collection contains approximately 12,000 volumes reflecting the settlement and development of Newport County. Because Rhode Island was established by settlers and refugees from other colonies, the collection includes works on early Southeastern New England families and governments that contributed to the history of Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations. Also included are general reference works.Providence Rhode Island City Hall.jpg

Providence City Archives
25 Dorrance Street Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-421-7740 E-mail: City Archives e-mail contact form Website: Providence City Archives
 * Holdings include early town records, vital records (including indexes to births, marriages, and deaths 1636 to mid-20th century - some restrictions may apply), tax records, probate records and indices, various property records, records of government proceedings, etc. For additional information, see Basic Holdings and Research.



Providence Public Library
150 Empire Street Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-455-8000 E-mail: [mailto:askref@askri.org askref@askri.org] Website: Providence Public Library
 * This is a very good collection of published genealogies, biographies, periodicals and family folders.

Roger Williams University Library
One Old Ferry Road Bristol, RI 02809 Telephone: 800-458-7144, or 401-253-1040 E-mail: [mailto:libref@rwu.edu libref@rwu.edu] Website: RWU University Libraries
 * Their huge book selection includes periodicals, newspapers, biography indexes, genealogies, family folders and histories, indexes and the largest Baptist collection in New England.

Tiverton Public Library
34 Roosevelt Avenue Tiverton, RI 02878 Telephone: 401-625-6796 E-mail: [mailto:staff@tivertonlibrary.org staff@tivertonlibrary.org] Website: Tiverton Public Library
 * They have a good collection of published genealogies.



University of Rhode Island Carothers Library
15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881 Telephone: 401.874.2672 E-mail: [mailto:libadmin@etal.uri.edu libadmin@etal.uri.edu] Website: University Libraries
 * This collection has books, maps, biographies, and histories about Rhode Island residents.

Westerly Public Library
44 Broad Street Westerly, RI 02981 Telephone: 401-596-2877 x3 E-mail: [mailto:cbadowski@westerlylibrary.org cbadowski@westerlylibrary.org] Website: Westerly Library and Wilcox Park
 * There large genealogical book collection includes family folders, family histories, and indexes regarding Rhode Island families.

American Antiquarian Society
185 Salisbury Street Worcester, Massachusetts 01609-1634 Telephone: 508-755-5221 Fax: 508-753-3311 E-mail: [mailto:Library@americanantiquarian.org Library@americanantiquarian.org] Website: American Antiquarian Society
 * The AAS is best known for its U.S. newspaper collection of over 18,000 bound volumes 1704-1820, history, genealogy, Bibles, maps, biography, directories, Native Americans, women, canals, railroads, photos, manuscripts. They have Rhode Island vital records, newspapers, and town histories. One of the best genealogy centers in America.

New England Historic Genealogical Society
101 Newbury Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007 Telephone: 617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231 Fax:  617-536-7307 E-mail:  [mailto:info@nehgs.org info@nehgs.org] Website: AmericanAncestors.org
 * Best overall collection for New England (and Rhode Island) vital records and probates, and excellent collection for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. The manuscript collection for members-only has diaries, letters, account books, business papers, church and town records, sermons, maps, wills, deeds, unpublished town and family genealogies, photos, and papers of the region's best genealogists since 1850.

Family History Centers
Some of the above collections are partially duplicated at the Family History Library and its branch Family History Centers around the world. Most centers can help you by: There are several centers located in Rhode Island, for example:
 * Giving you limited, personal, one-on-one research suggestions (but they do not do research for you)
 * Providing access to genealogical records either through the Internet FHC Portal, or a microfilm loan program
 * Offering free how-to classes (varies by location).
 * Fostering contact between genealogical enthusiasts
 * Providence Rhode Island Family History Center 1000 Narragansett Pkwy Warwick, RI 02888-4713 USA Telephone: 401-463-8150.
 * Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.

To locate one of these centers in your own neighborhood, see Find a Family History Center.

For Further Reading

 * Clarence S. Brigham, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1903, Volume 1 (Washington, D.C.: American Historical Association, 1904) ; . An important inventory of manuscript records including Rhode Island state, county, and town archives.