Genealogy & Local History

Discover the amazing history of you with our collection of genealogical and historical sources.

Most resources are available at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library.

Get started with our Staff-Selected Genealogy Resources Guide!

Find genealogy resources selected and curated by our Library staff, many of which you can access from home. We have something for you, whether you're a seasoned expert or are just beginning your journey into family history!

Get started here!

Most of our genealogy databases can be accessed from home.

Visit the "Genealogy & Local History" tab of our eResources page to get started!

• Harold K. Elliott Police Museum Photos
• Arlington During World War II
• Arlington History
• Library History

The Genealogy book collection comprises materials from all 50 states except Hawaii as well as various countries. Our book collection emphasizes those locations that are important in historical immigration patterns to Texas.

All books are listed in our library catalog, including Arlington Obituary books compiled by volunteers.

Self-service photocopies are 10 cents per page. The photocopiers accept cash and do provide change.

Click here for a list of upcoming genealogy programs.

The world's largest online resource for family history documents and family trees is available at all library locations.

Visit Arlington Library Edition.

• Newspaper clippings on local events in our Arlington Local History File
• Historical Arlington city directories and phone books
• Select AISD & UTA yearbooks and annuals
• Genealogy Reference magazines

Located in the Genealogy & Local History Room.

See a complete list of our map collection.

We have two microfilm machines located in the Genealogy & Local History Room at the Downtown Library. Both machines print to our public printers for 15 cents per page.

See a complete list of our microfilm collection..

Modern high-tech tool (our Makerspace's large-format plotter printer) to help solve an age-old problem (how to display family trees)!

This a collection of materials such as newspaper clippings, booklets, pictures, pamphlets, and other literature currently held at the Downtown Library.

Here is the list of materials available.

Accidents

Airports

• Regional
• DFW International

Amusement Parks

• Hawaii Kai – Sea Life Park
• Seven Seas
• Six Flags Corp.
• Six Flags – Hurricane Harbor
• Six Flags Over Texas
• Wet ‘N Wild

Arlington Population (population size/growth)

Arlington – Backward Glimpses (newspaper series of old photos)

Arlington Early History

• General history
• Timelines
• Arlington Journal – History series

Arlington Early History

• Arlington History 1800s
• 1900s
• 1910s
• 1920s
• 1930s
• 1940s
• 1950s

Arlington Recent History

• 1960s
• 1970s
• 1980s
• 1990s
• 2000s

Arts & Theatre – Arlington

• Arlington Museum of Art
• Artists
• Grandee, Joe (local artist)
• Ballet Arlington
• Antique Sewing Machine Museum
• Theatre Arlington
• Misc. – arts

Business & Industry

• Clippings 1950s
• 1960s
• 1970s
• 1980s
• General Motors
• Great Southwest Corp.
• Vandergriff Auto Dealerships

Cemeteries I

• Cemetery articles
• Arlington Cemetery – gravesite listing
• Tarrant County & surrounding area
• Grand Prairie Cemetery
• Ford Cemetery & Family history
• Gibbins Home & Cemetery
• Moore Funeral Home
• Tomlin Cemetery
• Cemeteries – Northside School

Cemeteries II

• Berachah Home & Cemetery
• Harrison Cemetery
• P.A. Watson Cemetery

Chamber of Commerce

Churches I

• First Baptist Church
• First Christian Church
• First United Methodist Church
• Mount Olive Baptist
• Tate Springs Baptist Church

Churches II

• Baptist churches – misc.
• West Fork United Presbyterian –Grand Prairie, TX
• Lonesome Dove Baptist – Grapevine, TX
• Misc. clippings
• Catholic churches – misc.
• Church of Christ – misc.
• Methodist churches – misc.
• Presbyterian churches – misc.

Charities

City Council I – Misc.

City Council – Bonds & Decisions

City Council – members

• Groves, Ken
• Holman, Dixon
• Lynn, Dottie
• Malec, Dick
• Snider, Bill
• Snider, Carolyn

City Elections

City Development

City Hall

City Employees

• City managers
• Campbell, George (former city manager)
• Misc.

Civic Organizations

• Misc.
• Arlington Band
• Arlington Boy’s Club
• Arlington Historical Society
• Arlington Night Shelter
• Arlington Youth Orchestra/ Symphony
• Boy Scouts
• Cancer Society
• United Fund
• YMCA Foundation

Doctors

• Doctors
• Misc.
• Dr. Zack Bobo

Ethnic Groups

• African-American
• Hispanic
• Vietnamese
• Mosier Valley
• Native Americans
• Misc.

Johnson Creek

• Johnson Creek history
• Johnson Creek Project

Newspapers

• Arlington newspapers history
• Citizen Journal – 100 year history
• Star Telegram

Parks Department

• Parks – 1950s to 1980s
• Parks – 1990s
• Parks – 2000s
• Randol Mill
• River Legacy
• Caelum Moor
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Sports Center
• Meadowbrook Park

Police Department

• Misc.
• New police building

Post Office

Proclamations & Special Events

Public Figures

• Misc.
• The Johnsons – Glen, Mid & Solon
• Ayres, Joe
• Joyner, Arista
• Nichols, Dora

Race Track – Arlington Downs

Residents A – G

• Including:
  • Dunlop, J.W.

Residents H – R

• Including:
  • Solon B. Johnson – Ina Russel: Letters of Correspondence 1886-1889
  • Johnson, Middleton Tate & Family history
  • Mebus, Jerry

Residents S – Z

• Including:
  • Wright, C.H. (Punch)
  • Waggoner, W.T.

• Anniversaries
• New Arrivals

Railways & Interurban

• Railroad
• Interurban & railways
• Railtran

Rivers

Schools – Charter

Schools – Private

Schools – Public School System

• Johnson Station Schools
• “Panorama of the Arlington Public School System” (1955)

Schools – Elementary

• Elementary schools
• Elementary school teachers

Schools – Junior High

Schools – High School

• Arlington H.S.
• Sam Houston H.S.
• Arlington H.S. – history & reunions
• Bowie H.S.
• Lamar H.S.
• Martin H.S.
• Seguin H.S.
• Venture School

Senior Citizens

Sister City Program

Smithsonian

Streets of Arlington

Tarrant County

• Tarrant Co. misc.
• Arlington Subcourthouse
• Fort Worth history
• Dalworthington Gardens
• Pantego, TX
• Watsonville, TX

Texas Rangers Baseball I

• 1970s – 1980s clippings
• Ballpark in Arlington (pre 1994)

Texas Rangers Baseball II

• 1990s clippings
• All-Star Game 1995
• Nolan Ryan

Texas Rangers Baseball III

• Misc.
• Arlington Stadium
• Ballpark in Arlington (post 1994)

Texas Sesquincentennial

Transportation

Urban Renewal

Universities & Colleges

• Arlington Baptist College
• Arlington State College
• Bauder Fashion College/ Bryan Institute
• Carlisle Military Academy
• Tarrant County Junior College (TCJC)

Universities & Colleges – UTA

• UTA Centennial
• Backward Glimpses
• UTA – Robertson Colony
• UTA clippings: 1960s – 1970s
• UTA clippings: 1980s
• UTA clippings: 1990s

Vandergriff

• Hooker Vandergriff & Family
• Tom Vandergriff 1950s – 1960s
• Tom Vandergriff 1971 – 1975
• Tom Vandergriff 1976 – 1979
• Tom Vandergriff 1980s – 1990s

Weather

• Floods
• Tornadoes

Wedding Anniversaries

Arlington City Directories

1913, 1914, 1940, 1951, 1954, 1957, 1959-1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969-1975, 1977-1979, 1981, 1982, 1984-1988

Cole's Directory for Arlington

1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1978-1984, 1986-2001

Cole's Directory for Dallas

1969

Cole's Directory for Fort Worth

1976, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1998 (Vol I & II), 2000

Fort Worth City Directory

1991, 1994

Arlington Telephone Books

1968-2010

Arlington Chamber Member Directory & Business Guide

1994-1996

Grand Prairie, TX Telephone Book

1979, 1980

Emory, TX Telephone Book

1995

Files are located in the Genealogy & Local History Room of the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. Listed alphabetically by drawer with description an date created (when known).

Drawer 1

Arlington, TX

Arlington, TX 1919

Arlington, TX pictoral map c. 1977

Arlington, TX large street map n.d.

Arlington, TX ariel photo of northeastern part of city n.d.

Arlington, TX Existing Water Facilities Jan. 1, 1989

Euless, TX city map n.d.

Fort Worth, TX Greater Fort Worth street map 1953

Grand Prairie,TX city map 1967

Johnson Creek (Arlington, TX) flooded areas 31-Jul-74

Johnson Creek Corridor Plan Executive Summary Report with maps 25-Mar-97

Nacogdoches Co. – Texas state map 2-sided map c. 1976

Oshkosh, WI – Winnebago Co., WI 2-sided map n.d.

Richmond, VA showing important Civil War battle grounds, fortifications, roads & historic points of interest

Tarrant Co. in Early Days c. 1840-1896

Tarrant County, TX 1895

Tarrant County, TX 1980

TEXAS Historical Trail map

TEXAS 1843

TEXAS (early Texas & part of Mexico) *shows the route of the 1st Santa Fe Expedition n.d.

UTA map map of campus with buildings c. 1980?

Drawer 2

Big Spring, TX (including: Scurry, Howard, Mitchell, Nolan, & Fisher Counties) topographic (2) 1954

Brewster County, TX north point of county 1914

Brewster County, TX plat map — southern part of county c. 1890

Brownwood, TX topographic 1954

Brown County, TX plat map 1910

Coleman, Brown Co., TX topographic 1887 (1939 reprint)

Collin County, TX plat map c. 1880

Cooke-Tarrant County, TX c. 1860-1870

Dallas County Road Map 1983

Dallas, TX (DFW) topographic 1954

Denton County, TX n.d.

Gainesville, Cooke Co., TX topographic 1902

Garza County, TX plat map

Godley, Johnson Co., TX topographic 1961

Granbury, Hood Co., TX (also includes Somervell & Bosque Counties) topographic 1887; 1949 reprint)

Hays County, TX plat map 1902

Hood County, TX plat map 1893

Johnson County, TX plat map c. 1887

Jud, TX quadrangle 1965

Kent County, TX plat map n.d.

Kiowa Peak, TX quadrangle 1962

Lubbock, TX topographic 1954

Marron County

Matagorda County, TX plat map 1920

Milam County, TX plat map 1918

Nacogdoches County, TX plat map

Palo Pinto County, TX

Parker Co., TX general highway map 1963

Shelby County, TX plat map c. 1870

Sherman, TX – OK topographic 1954

Stonewall County, TX plat map n.d.

TEXAS Early map of TEXAS 1836

Upshur County

Victoria County, TX plat map 1921

Waco, TX topographic 1954

Wichita Falls, TX topographic 1954

Drawer 3

Pike Co., AL General Highway Map 1954

Gwinnett Co., GA General Highway Map 1972

Jasper Co., GA General Highway Map 1967

Bossier Parish, LA topographic 1976

Boone Co., MO zoning n.d.

Caplinger Mills, MO quadrangle 1939

Carthage, MO street map n.d.

Filley, Cedar Co., MO quadrangle 1939

Morgan Co., MO general highway map 1978-79

Davie Co., NC Land Grants of 1700s with index 1700s

Wake Co., NC c. 1870? 1771-1802?

Chester District, SC 1820

Dalrington District, SC 1820

Kershaw District, SC 1820

Landcaster District, SC 1820

Marlboro District, SC 1820

Marron County, SC 1882

Sumter Co., SC general highway map 1973

Sumter District, SC 1821

Franklin & Brentwood, TN road map 1977

Cumberland Co., VA 1754-1795

Frederick Co., VA Old Frederick County — northern neck of VA 1725-1745

Richmond, VA 1861-1865

Arizona (Territory of Arizona) 1903

Orange County Land Patents compiled by & drawn by Ulysses P. Joyner Jr. Jan. 1988

Virginia & Maryland c. 1751

Drawer 4

Major Transportation Facilities of the U.S. call# TD12.11:F 11/999 Jan. 1999

Transportation in North America (U.S. Department of Transportation)

Rand McNally – Portfolio of 6 Antique Maps America 1570

North America 1650

World 1589

New World 1695

World 1626

North America 1700

Country Profile: IRAQ

Colonization & Trade in the New World (produced by National Geographic) 1720

Maps of Russia in Russian

Phillips Co, Arkansas & state map

Greater Spokane, Washington

Maps of Early Idaho Old Gold Mines, Indian Battle Grounds, Old Military Roads, Old Forts, Overland Stage Routes, & Early Towns

Indians of North America

Indian Land Areas (U.S. Dpt. Of the Interior – Bureau of Indian Affairs) 1992

Shiloh Battlefield Civil War battle at Shiloh, TN April 6, 1862

Shiloh Battlefield Civil War battle at Shiloh, TN April 7, 1862

Newspapers

• Arlington newspapers on microfilm dating back to 1897
• Fort Worth Star-Telegram 1997 to Present

Census Holdings

Census records are often the first stop in genealogical research. You should start with the most recent census and work backward in time. The 1930 census is the latest to be released.

• Texas Federal Census microfilm covering years 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 & 1940. Other states also available by various years and counties.
• Texas Soundex microfilm for census years 1900, 1910 and 1920

Military

Military records are an excellent way to delve deeper into an ancestor’s life. For instance, pension records often contain supporting documents that are invaluable to a genealogist.

• Index to Texas Confederate Soldiers; Texas Confederate Military Service Records
• War of 1812 Pension Application Files

State Records

• Galveston, Texas Passenger Lists: 1896-1948
• Texas Voter Register of 1867-1869
• Index to Texas Births: 1903-1976; Index to Texas Probate Birth Records
• Index to Texas Deaths: 1903-1973

Miscellaneous

• Census of the Cherokee Nation–1880 & 1890
• Freedman’s Bank Records
• Other miscellaneous. Keyword search our catalog for more titles.

Yearbooks and Annuals from various schools in the Arlington, Texas area are available at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. If you do not see yours listed, please donate to us!

Arlington Independent School District

Arlington High School "Colt Corral"

1947-1951, 1953-1956, 1962, 1964, 1966-1969, 1971, 1973-1979, 1981-1983, 1985, 1986, 1989-1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999

Sam Houston High School "Cherokee"

1967-1970, 1972-1975, 1977, 1981-1983, 1985, 1996, 1998

James Bowie High School "Explorer"

1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1999

Lamar High School "Valhalla"

1972, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985-1992, 1995, 1996, 1999

James Martin High School "Phoenix"

1983, 1985-1988, 1991-1993, 1996

University Annuals

United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, CO) "POLARIS"

1990

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX) "Horned Frog"

1958, 1961, 1962

Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX) "La Ventana"

1967

North Texas Agricultural College (Arlington, TX) - now UTA - "The Junior Aggie"

1941, 1946-1948

Arlington State College (Arlington, TX) - now UTA - "Reveille"

1960, 1961, 1965, 1966

University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX) "Reveille"

1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1981

North Texas State University (Denton, TX) "The Yucca"

1967, 1968, 1972

Southern Genealogist's Exchange Quarterly

Family Chronicle

Heart of Texas records

National Genealogical Society newsletter

Arlington Genealogical Society

The Arlington Genealogical Society meets the second Tuesday of the month, September - June, at 6:30 p.m. in the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library Excellence Room (NW corner of 3rd floor).

National Archives Southwest Region

The archives include extensive microfilm and archival holdings for genealogy research. An index of materials is available online.
2600 W. 7th St. Suite 162, Fort Worth, TX 76115, 817-831-5620

Family History Center - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

One of many centers around the world that offer free information and resources for the beginner.
3809 Curt Dr., Arlington, TX 76016, 817-446-7088

• City Directories and Telephone Books
• Online Photo Collections
• Local History File
• Maps
• Microfilm
• Yearbooks and Annuals

The Arlington Genealogical Society meets online (via Zoom) and in-person (at the Downtown Library, 100 S. Center) at 6:00 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from September through June. See listings on the library calendar for more details, including upcoming speakers and how to join meetings online. Visitors are always welcome!