The Ancestor Hunt has been cataloging and listing links to free online genealogy collections in over 24 different record categories since 2014. These are available for you to view and use via the Resources tab above.
There is a massive amount of genealogy and historical material that can help us researchers as we discover who belongs in our family tree, and more importantly, what is their life story. But much of this genealogical and historical material doesn’t fit nicely into a specific genealogy record category.
As researchers, we should avail ourselves of the types of materials listed below. They definitely will help us in our genealogy and family history research These online resources are available generally at state libraries and archives, larger public libraries, and college and university digital collections. Hence the creation of these lists of links to free online digital archives for the state. I hope they prove useful to you in your pursuit.
Types of Information Available in Digital Archives
- Scrapbooks
- Diaries
- Family Papers, Biographies, and Other Collections
- Letters
- Oral Histories
- Maps
- Bulletins and Newsletters
- Corporate Collections
- Local Community and County Histories
- Photographs and Postcards
- Rare Books and Manuscripts
- Government Publications and Documents
- and Yes, Genealogy Record Collections and Indexes
(Updated November 2023)
The Free Online Digital Archives for the state are listed below, preceded by Archives that are available for the region or the country:
Multistate Archives
- A Digital Collection Celebrating the Founding of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU)
- Digital Commons Collections
- Digital Public Library of America
- Documenting the American South
- Library of Congress Digital Collections
- National Archives Online Exhibits
- PastPerfectOnline Collections
- Smithsonian Digital Library
Missouri Archives
- A Digital Collection Celebrating the Founding of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU)
- Access Genealogy – Missouri
- Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
- American History & Genealogy Project – Missouri
- Ancestry Free Index Collections
- Central Methodist University Digital Collections
- Chronicling America – Missouri
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database
- Cyndi’s List – Missouri
- David Rumsey’s Historical Maps
- Dead Fred
- Death Indexes – Missouri
- Digital Commons Collections
- Digital Public Library of America – Missouri
- Documenting the American South
- FamilySearch
- FamilySearch – Missouri Online Genealogy Records
- FamilySearch Catalog
- FamilySearch Wiki – Missouri
- FindAGrave
- Fontbonne College Digital Collections
- Genealogy Trails – Missouri
- Google Books – Missouri
- HathiTrust – Missouri
- I Dream of Genealogy
- Interment.net – Missouri
- Internet Archive – Missouri
- Kansas City Public Library Missouri Valley Special Collections
- LDS Genealogy – Missouri
- Library of Congress Digital Collections
- Lincoln University Digital Collections
- Lindenwood University Digital Collections
- Linkpendium – Missouri
- Maryville University of St Louis Digital Collections
- Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center
- Midwest Genealogy Center
- Missouri Baptist University Digital Collections
- Missouri Digital Heritage
- Missouri History Museum Library
- Missouri Southern State University Digital Collections
- Missouri State Archives
- Missouri State Genealogical Association
- Missouri State University Digital Collections
- Missouri Valley Special Collections
- Missouri Western State University Digital Collections
- Missouriana Digital Text Collection
- National Archives and Records Administration
- National Archives at Kansas City
- National Archives Online Exhibits
- National Archives Resources for Genealogists
- Nationwide Gravesite Locator
- New Horizons Genealogy – Missouri
- Northwest Missouri State University Digital Collections
- Ozarks Genealogical Society Library
- Park University Digital Collections
- PastPerfectOnline Collections
- RootsWeb.com
- Saint Louis University Digital Collections
- Sanborn Maps – Missouri
- Smithsonian Digital Library
- Southeast Missouri State University Digital Collections
- Springfield-Greene County Library Center
- St Louis County Library
- St Louis Mercantile Library
- St Louis Public Library
- The Official Land Records Site
- The State Historical Society of Missouri Digital
- Truman State University Digital Collections
- University of Central Missouri Digital Collections
- University of Missouri – Columbia Digital Collections
- University of Missouri – Kansas City Digital Collections
- University of Missouri – St Louis Digital Collections
- University of Missouri Digital Library
- US GenWeb – Missouri
- US GenWeb Archives – Missouri
- Washington University, St Louis Digital Collections
- Webster University Digital Collections
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!