Archives in PA: Local Organizational, Historical, and Genealogical Archives

Local archives in Pennsylvania are those which focus on collecting materials for their county, city, township, borough, community, historical site or figure, genealogical society, industry, activity, or ethnic group. These are often volunteer-run non-profit organizations, and do not typically employ professional archivists for processing their materials. However, their collections are highly focused and specific, offering rich details about the past that are not found elsewhere. If you have an ancestor connected to one of these places, people, or activities, there is a good chance there is a record of him or her there. 

The local archives listed below are organized geographically by county. What is not listed in this section is the county courthouses and county government archives holding historical courthouse records, such as wills, deeds, court records, etc. For that list, consult Chapter 7: County Courthouses and Archives.

To save space, physical addresses are not provided, but website addresses are. Researchers are encouraged to visit each website for more details on archival holdings and how to research its collections.