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Archives and Libraries In and Around St. Louis

St. Louis and the surrounding area have many excellent libraries and archives for genealogists.

  • The Emerson History and Genealogy Center at St. Louis County Library Clark Family Branch houses a wide variety of resources including collections specific to African American, Jewish, German, and North American research. There is a media lab for photo and film preservation and databases available for home and library use.
    • 1640 S. Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63131

     

  • The downtown branch of the St. Louis Public Library has excellent archival collections. They are especially strong in local history and maps from around the world.
    • 1301 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

     

  • The Missouri History Museum Library and Research Center specializes in early Missouri and St. Louis history. This is an archive, and you will find many original documents from the earliest French and Spanish settlers up through current years. Other collections here are St. Louis business records, city and county directories, and many original maps.
    • 225 South Skinker Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63105

     

  • The Mercantile Library is housed on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. This is the oldest library west of the Mississippi, and its focus is on St. Louis history. The library has an outstanding art and rare books collection and is the home of the John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library and the Herman T. Potts Inland Waterway Collection. In addition, the Western Historical Manuscript Collection is located here.
    • 1 University Boulevard, Thomas Jefferson Library, St. Louis, MO 63121

     

  • The State Historical Society of Missouri, based in Columbia, Missouri, is where you will find the largest collection of newspapers in the state. They also operate a research facility in the Thomas Jefferson Library at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.
    • 605 Elm Street, Columbia, Missouri 65201

     

  • The Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City maintains an outstanding website with thousands of digitized records, and their staff encourages onsite research for statewide records. There is a small branch office in St. Louis in the Carnahan Courthouse on Market Street, by appointment only.
    • 600 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101

 

  • Missouri State Genealogical Association, also based in Columbia, Missouri, includes resources for the entire state. It sponsors a yearly conference and publishes a journal.
    • P.O. Box 833, Columbia, Missouri 65205-0833

 

Religious Archives and Libraries

  • The St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese has an archival facility; however, most of their records are available on microfilm in the Emerson History and Genealogy Center at St. Louis County Library Clark Family Branch. Volunteers at StLGS can also assist you with these records.
    • 20 Archbishop May Drive, St. Louis, MO 63119

     

  • Eden Theological Seminary houses the archival collection for the former Evangelical and Reformed Church now called the United Church of Christ.
    • 475 East Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119

     

  • The archives for Missouri Synod Lutheran records are housed at the Concordia Historical Institute, with a branch on the Concordia Seminary campus and another in Kirkwood.
    • 804 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105

     

  • The St. Louis Jewish Community Archives is located in the Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum on the campus of the Jewish Community Center. Many books and maps on Jewish genealogy, including a comprehensive set of Yizkor books, can be found in the Emerson History and Genealogy Center at St. Louis County Library’s Clark Family Branch.
    • 36 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146

     

Military Related Archives

  • The National Archives in St. Louis holds military records from most modern wars as well as some federal civil service records. Working in the archives is by appointment only.
    • 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138

     

  • The former military hub of St. Louis, Jefferson Barracks, has a wonderful history. You can learn more about Jefferson Barracks in their museum, bookstore, and Friends of Jefferson Barracks organization. The Missouri Civil War Museum and Archives is located on the Jefferson Barracks grounds. The Civilian Conservation Corps museum and archives is also located on the grounds of Jefferson Barracks.
    • 222 Worth Road, St. Louis, MO 63125

     

Local Historical Societies

Many local historical societies have archival holdings pertaining to their communities. A list of most known historical societies in St. Louis County is here.

University Libraries

St. Louis University, Washington University (Olin Library), and the University of Missouri-St. Louis (Thomas Jefferson Library) have libraries that can be beneficial to genealogists. St. Louis University and Washington University have law libraries that can also be of assistance.

Further information is available on some of these facilities within this website.
Last modified: 11-Sep-2025 12:00