image of Baltimore Rowhouses

Research at the Baltimore City Archives

Residents of Baltimore Doing Research, January 2016 Defense Plant Workers, Koppers Co., American Hammered Piston Ring Division, Baltimore, c. 1946

How to Get Started:

A good place to start your research is the Guide to Records at the Baltimore City Archives and other general Guides and Indexes.

How Our Records are Organized:

The Records of Baltimore City are organized and described following a slightly modified version of the National Archives model of Record Groups, an archival management system that was introduced in the 1980s, and that led to the reorganization and re-distribution of a chronological inventory and filing system devised by the WPA Historical Records Survey.

All Baltimore City records currently being incorporated into the Maryland State Archives online catalog retain the record group number preceded by BRG for record groups, BMS for manuscripts, and BTR for records pending accessioning into record groups or disposal by records retention and disposal schedules. To view a record group in the guide by number simply enter BRG with the record group number immediately following in the Series ID box.  For example BRG1 will take you to the inventory of Baltimore City Archives Record Group 1 which are the records of the (Baltimore Town Commissioners), 1729-1797.

To convert WPA-HRS Index Numbers into Record Groups and Series, visit our Topics page.

For General Research:

Newspapers and Periodicals

For Genealogists:

Guide to the Baltimore City Archives for Genealogists

For Specialized Historical Researchers (ie., thesis and dissertation guidance):

Tuesdays with Ed

Specific Topics and Records:





NHPRC

Gratefully acknowledging the generous financial support of the NHPRC. Our semi-annual reports to the NHPRC have been posted online.