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Primary Sources
A guide to the best resources for primary sources in UTSA databases, online digital collections, government sources, and more.
- Getting Started
- Find Primary Sources
- Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
- Historical Maps This link opens in a new window
Photo credit: Archival boxes, UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
San Antonio Archives
- Bexar County Official Records SearchSearch land records, plats, foreclosures, marriage licenses, public notices, etc.
- Bexar County Clerk & District Clerk Court RecordsSearch for criminal and civil court case records in Bexar County.
- San Antonio Municipal Archives & Records: Search Digital CollectionsOnline access to digitized archival materials.
- Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library - DRTThis archival collection contains approximately 38,000 non-circulating items, including documents, books, maps, letters and other artifacts, pertaining to the Republic of Texas, history of Texas, San Antonio, and the Alamo.
- San Antonio Conservation SocietyInformation and resources concerning historic preservation in San Antonio.
- San Antonio Conservation Society Online ResourcesMaterials documenting the history of San Antonio and South Central Texas, including architectural drawings, archives, books, clipping files, maps, oral histories, and photographs.
- Texana Department at the San Antonio Public LibraryDocuments the history of San Antonio, Bexar County and Texas, including selected San Antonio city documents, personal papers and organizational records, rare books, and genealogy resources.
- UTSA Special CollectionsRare books, photographs, personal papers and organizational records pertaining to San Antonio and South Texas, as well as archival materials on UTSA history.
- UTSA Libraries Digital CollectionsDigitized materials from UTSA Special Collections and the Institute of Texan Cultures.
- Center for Mexican American Studies and Research Special Collections - Our Lady of the Lake University - Research CollectionsHistoric documents and information that include the Spanish Colonial Missions Collection, the María Antonietta Berriozábal Collection, the Mexican American Collection, among others. Make an appointment with OLLU library staff to see items in person.
- Trinity University Special Collections and ArchivesRare books, personal papers, photographs, and Trinity University archives. Of particular note is the Claude and ZerNona Black collection documenting the civil rights and community activism of Reverend Black and his wife.
- Trinity University Digital CollectionsDigitized materials from Trinity University Special Collections.
- St. Mary's University Special CollectionsUniversity archives and manuscript collections, including the Spanish Archives of Laredo.
- UT Health Science Center P. I. Nixon Medical Historical LibraryRare and classic books in the history of medicine from the 15th to early 20th centuries, as well as university archives and local historical documents related to the history of medicine and health care in Bexar County and South Texas.
- UT Health Science Center Digital ArchiveA selection of digitized items pertaining to the history of medicine, university history, university records, and electronic theses and dissertations.
- National Museum of the Pacific WarVisit the museum in Fredericksburg, TX. The archives of the National Museum of the Pacific War hold thousands of manuscripts, official documents, photographs and recorded interviews with Pacific War veterans. A sampling of archival material is digitized online and available on the website.
Search Archives with WorldCat
- WorldCat (OCLC) This link opens in a new windowContains records describing materials held by libraries around the world. Limit your search to "Archival Materials." Some archival materials may be available as photocopies, others may only be available in person.
Other Archival Resources
- TARO: Texas Archival Resources OnlineContains collection descriptions or "finding aids" for the rich archival, manuscript, library and museum collections in repositories across the state available to the public.
- ArchiveGridOver four million records that describe archival materials from more than 1,000 archival institutions, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more.
- National Union Catalog of Manuscript CollectionsA catalog operated by the Library of Congress that describes archival and manuscript collections held by repositories located throughout the United States.
- Mountain West Digital LibraryMore than 970,000 digitized resources from universities, colleges, public libraries, museums, historical societies, and government agencies, counties, and municipalities in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, Hawaii, and other parts of the U.S. West.
- Archives WestDescriptions of primary source materials held by archival institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and Utah. Digital reproductions of materials are available in some cases.
- Online Archive of CaliforniaDescriptions of primary resource collections maintained by more than 200 contributing institutions including libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums throughout California and collections maintained by the 10 University of California (UC) campuses.
- National Archives CatalogSearch the National Archives of the United States. To find digital records that are available for viewing or download, check the radio button for "Archival Materials Online."