Historical Research

Original records

NARA's Southwest Region in Fort Worth has more than 84,000 cubic feet of archival holdings dating from 1806 to the 1980s, including textual documents, photographs, and maps. These archival holdings were created or received by the Federal courts and 85 Federal agencies in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. Federal law requires that agencies transfer permanently valuable, noncurrent records to NARA.

Among the subjects covered are regional and national history from the early 1800s with emphasis on westward expansion to the Southwest and the settlement of Native Americans (particularly Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles) in Indian Territory; the Civil War, slavery, Chinese exclusion, repatriation, segregation, World Wars I and II, economic development, oil, and the space program. Historic names and topics include Jackson Burnett, Bonnie and Clyde, the Blue Angels, the Dalton Gang, Wyatt Earp, Billie Sol Estes, Henry O. Flipper, the Green Corn Rebellion, O. Henry, Andrew Jackson, Machine Gun Kelly, Jean Lafitte, Madalynn Murray O'Hair, Isaac Parker, Belle Starr, and the Texas City disaster.

The Fort Worth facility has extensive microfilm holdings of value for genealogy research, among them:

• Federal population censuses for all States, 1790-1930 (including indexes for 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920);
• military service records, pension and bounty land warrant applications;
• passenger arrival records;
• Dawes census cards and enrollment jackets for the Five Tribes of Oklahoma.

Microfilmed records

In addition to unique original records, the Fort Worth facility has extensive holdings of National Archives microfilm publications. These publications reproduce basic documentation for the study of history, economics, public administration, political science, law, ethnology, genealogy, and other subjects. Included are records relating to U.S. diplomacy, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and Reconstruction, Native American-Government relations, westward expansion, and World War II.

Self-service microfilm readers are available without appointment. Researchers using microfilm do not need a researcher's ID card.

Bankruptcy Case Files

The Fort Worth facility has bankruptcy and other case files from Federal, U.S. district and bankruptcy courts in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

The Fort Worth facility is about 5 miles south of downtown Fort Worth, near the intersection of I-20 and I-35W. From downtown Fort Worth take I-35W south and exit on Felix Street. Proceed west on Felix for half a mile, turn left into the Federal Center, and stop for security information. The security guard will give directions to Building 1. You will need a valid driver's license and proof of insurance to enter the Federal Center.