Helpful Links

Washington County, Tennessee  – Connect to other county offices and departments here.

Friends of the Washington County, Tennessee Archives – Find out ways you can help the work of the archives through this support group.

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries – This Newberry Library resource shows how each county in the United States was formed and then changed throughout the years.

Archives of Appalachia at ETSU – The Sherrod Library houses an extensive collection of books and microfilm for historical and genealogical research. The Archives of Appalachia includes manuscript collections relating to the history of Washington County as well as the Appalachian region in general.

Colonial and State Records of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) – This collection provides a digital version of the Colonial and State Records of North Carolina series, which includes many important early documents related to Washington County and the frontier area of Tennessee.

East Tennessee Historical Society – Supports and preserves the region’s history through on-going museum exhibits and educational programs.  Located in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee & Southwest Virginia – Houses research collections of personal and family papers related to Jonesborough and Washington County genealogy and history, including the most extensive collection of historic photographs of the town. Manages the Chester Inn Museum, which has changing exhibits on Jonesborough and Washington County history. Also manages the Knob Creek schoolhouse, a restored 19th-century county school, as a living museum experience.

Johnson City Public Library – The Tennessee Room, located on the second floor of the library has an extensive reference book and microfilm collection for genealogical and historical research.

Library of Congress – Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps – These maps were created for assessing fire insurance liability in urban areas of the United States.  The maps include detailed information about buildings in approximately 12,000 cities and towns. 

Calvin M. McClung Collection – Knox County Public Library – Has one of the most extensive manuscript and microfilm research collections for documenting the history and families of East Tennessee, including Washington County.

National Archives – Provides a wealth of genealogical and historical records through microfilm, including census records and military service records.

North Carolina Land Grant Images and Data – This searchable database includes 10,000 grants issued by North Carolina in what is now Tennessee among 216,000 land grants from 1663 – 1960. 

Shelby County Register of Deeds – Provides a statewide index for deaths (1949-2014), marriages (1980-2014), and divorces (1980-2014).

State Archives of North Carolina (Raleigh) – Some early records for Washington County and other counties once part of North Carolina but now part of Tennessee may be found here.

Tennessee Office of Vital Records – For information on how to obtain copies of birth and death records.

Tennessee State Library and Archives – The largest research holdings for Tennessee history with records including birth and death records, microfilmed statewide county records, manuscript collections of personal and family papers, and much more.

Washington County Public Library – Jonesborough  – The library’s research holdings include unique family files, an extensive collection of genealogical and local history books, census microfilm, and microfilm of Jonesborough newspapers.

Washington County TnGenWeb – A part of the USGenWeb and TNGenWeb websites, specific to Washington County, Tennessee.  The page contains a wealth of information about the county, transcriptions of cemeteries, photos, and much more. 

Watauga Association of Genealogists – assists researchers with family connections to Washington County and supports the genealogical section of the Johnson City Public Library. The organization meets monthly on the 1st Tuesday at the Johnson City Public Library between March and December.