All library locations will be closed on Tuesday, November 11 in observance of Veterans' Day.
Dallas & Texas History
The collection of materials at the Dallas History & Archives Division is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Our holdings span many aspects of the diverse history of Dallas, the surrounding area, and Texas. The collections consists of a wide-variety of materials including books, magazines, newspaper clippings, personal papers, photos, maps, and audiovisual materials.
Explore our Digital Collections online! Dallas Public Library Digital Collection
Resources
Available by visiting Dallas History & Archives, 7th Floor, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library except as noted below. Items do not circulate, but can be viewed in the reading room on the 7th floor of the Central Library.
Books and Periodicals about Texas and Dallas
More than 60,000 book and 1,500 newspaper/periodical titles are available. These publications cover every aspect of Texas, and include materials on architecture, business, art, ethnic groups, education, literature, and government, as well as family, community, and state history. Search the library catalog for books and other print resources.
Texas Newspapers
The collection contains over 1,500 print and microfilm newspapers.
Comprehensive runs of the Dallas Morning News and Dallas Times Herald and many other local and state newspapers are available on microfilm. The Dallas Morning News 1885 – 1984 is also available online with a Dallas Public Library card or in person at any library location.
For a list of newspapers available in print format click here.
Online Newspaper Resources:
Newspapers.com Texas Collection (1842—2024)
Online Newspaper Resources accessible with a Dallas Public Library card:
Dallas Morning News 1885 – 1984
Austin American Statesman 1871 – 1980
El Paso Herald / El Paso Times 1881 - current
Texas Telephone, City, and Criss-Cross Directories
City directory books were published yearly and contain listings of all residents and businesses within a city. While originally created for marketing purposes, they have become an important historical resource for anyone researching the history of a place, business, or person. City and telephone directories from urban areas across the state are available in print or on microfilm to view when visiting Dallas History & Archives. See a list of directories here.
Online City Directory Resources:
Dallas City Directories from the Dallas Public Library on the Portal to Texas History
Library of Congress: United States City Directories, 1861-1960
Texas High School and College Annuals and Yearbooks
Dallas History & Archives owns a large collection of school annuals/yearbooks from across the state. Most items can also be found in the Dallas Public Library catalog or you can check this list, organized by city.
Manuscripts/Archives
Collections pertaining to political and municipal history; architecture and community planning; ethnic and racial communities; visual and performing arts; business records; and ephemera from Dallas and Texas, mid-19th century to the present.
Finding Guides for many of the library's collections are available at Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO). Visit https://txarchives.org and select “Dallas Public Library” for the repository to view available collection Finding Guides. And for a complete list of manuscript collections click here.
Notable Collections
John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection
Dallas Mexican American Historical League (DMAHL) Collection
Photographs
Dallas History & Archives collections contain over a million photographs documenting the people, places, and events of the city of Dallas. Images include historic aerial photographs of Dallas and Tarrant counties, buildings and street scenes, cultural and sporting events, and a wide range of notable Dallasites. Many of our photographs are viewable online using the Dallas Public Library Digital Collection. Many photographs are available at high resolution and may be licensed for use; fees start at $25 per image. To place a photograph order or get assistance in finding additional photographs, contact Dallas History & Archives staff at texas@dallas.gov.
Oral Histories
A collection of over 300 audio interviews with people who have helped shape Dallas history or been eyewitnesses to events of historical significance. Some of these recordings have been digitized and/or transcribed.
Vertical Files
Newspaper clippings, flyers, and other paper ephemera organized by Texas and Dallas subjects, from businesses and clubs to biographies, since the 1950s. Vertical files may include newspaper clippings, flyers and other formats. See the complete list of available subjects here.
Maps
Dallas Public Library holds approximately 5,000 maps of Dallas and Texas communities from the Spanish Colonial era to the present. Specialized holdings include Sanborn Fire Insurance and property ownership maps as well as a comprehensive collection of Dallas street maps. See a list of maps in the collection here (coming soon). A high resolution scan of some maps may be available; contact Dallas History & Archives staff at texas@dallas.gov with any questions.
Online Map Resources:
Murphy & Bolanz Block and Addition Books, Dallas County 1880-1920
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Texas (1877-1922)
Library of Congress Sanborn Maps
Online Newspaper Resources accessible with a Dallas Public Library card:
Dallas County Records at the Dallas Public Library
The Dallas Public Library is the Regional Historical Resource Depository for Dallas County, and as such older government records with permanent historical value from county agencies are on deposit with the Dallas Public Library for research purposes. Current holdings include Dallas County Civil District Court records produced before 1939, early Dallas County medical and dental registers, and early Justice of the Peace inquest records.
Many of these documents have been microfilmed. The film is available for use at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. Researchers may also contact your local library's Interlibrary Loan department or texas@dallas.gov to make a request for scans from the film. Include as much detail as possible including reel number(s), name(s), year(s), court type or court number(s), and the type of record(s) being requested (ex. civil court, death records, naturalization papers, tax rolls etc).
The Dallas Genealogical Society has transcribed the Abstracts of the 14th District Court Minutes, 1846 – 1855, which is available on their website: Abstracts from 14th District Court -- Minute Book A (1846-1855)
Refer to the list of available Dallas County documents on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission's web site, Dallas County Records Available on Microfilm, to see what is available.