Research Room
The Missouri State Archives is the repository for state records of historical value. Highlights among manuscripts and original documents in the Archives include French & Spanish land grants, testimony concerning the New Madrid earthquake of 1811-1812, documents concerning Frank and Jesse James, maps of Missouri's first surveyed roads, and material pertaining to Harry S. Truman.
Currently, the Archives holds more than 336 million pages of paper; 400,000 photographs; 9,000 maps; 61,000 reels of microfilm, 560 cubic feet of published state documents and 1,000 audio/video items. These records include:
- Census Records 1830-1940
- County and Municipal Records
- Judicial Records
- Land Records
- Legislative records
- Manuscripts
- Military records of Missourians from the War of 1812 through World War I, including more than 9 million pages related to the Civil War.
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Missouri’s history under French & Spanish colonial rule, as a U.S. territory, and during early statehood
- Penitentiary Records
Call for volunteers to index penitentiary records - Photographs and Digital Collections
- Resources for Family & Community History
- State agency records
- State government publications
Featured Collections
- Civil War Resources
- Lewis and Clark Expedition
- Provost Marshal/United States Colored Troops PDF images
- The Missouri Mormon War
Guides to the Collection
- Guide to African American History at the Missouri State Archives
- Guide to Civil War Resources at the Missouri State Archives
Online Resources
- Archives' Online Catalog
- Birth & Death Records Database, pre-1910
- Civil War Provost Marshal Index Database
- Coroner's Inquest Database
- County and Municipal Records on Microfilm
- Digital Collections
- Finding Aids
- Land Patents Database
- Local Records Inventory Database
- Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 – 1962
- Missouri Digital Heritage
- Missouri Judicial Index Database
- Missouri Judicial Records
- Missouri Supreme Court Historical Database
- Naturalization Records Database
- Soldiers' Records: War of 1812 - World War I
- St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project
- St. Louis Probate Court Digitization Project (now a part of Missouri Judicial Records)
Access to the Collections
Access to the Missouri State Archives collections is provided through the Archives Research Room. Information regarding records and use may be obtained from reference staff. Patrons must read and comply with the Patron Resource Agreement before beginning research activity.
The Missouri State Archives collections are non-circulating. Permanent state government records housed in the Missouri State Archives stacks area are available for use in the Archives Research Room. Advance request must be made for use of records from the stacks on Thursday evenings, Saturdays, and holidays. Microfilm and a limited selection of printed works is available in the Archives Research Room to researchers at all times.
Procedures For Requesting Research
Missouri State Archives staff does limited research for patrons who are unable to visit in person at no cost. Patrons may request information via telephone, e-mail, or postal mail.
Copy Fees
Copies may be obtained of most records; archivists will determine whether the original records may be copied due to fragility.
The minimum fee for all copy requests is $1.00. This covers 2 microfilm/microfiche copies or 10 photocopies.
- Additional microfilm/microfiche copies are 25 cents per page for continuous pages from the same file
- Additional photocopies are 10 cents per page.
Please provide a #10 Business sized self-addressed stamped envelope for copy requests. Postage will be charged when an envelope is not provided or the number of copies will not fit in the envelope provided.
- 1-10 pages: $1.00
- 11-39 pages: $2.00
- 40-75 pages: $3.00
- 76-500 pages
- Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee: $6.50
- Anywhere else in continental United States: $8.00
- A quote will be provided for copies sent to Hawaii, Alaska, for international postage, or for requests greater than 500 pages.
Microfilm 
is available at a cost
of $15.00 per roll for diazo film.
The Missouri State Archives has been named as one of the annual 101 best family history Web sites in the September 2011 issue of Family Tree Magazine.