West Virginia State Archives West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History

History and Founding

The West Virginia State Archives traces its origins to the West Virginia Historical and Antiquarian Society, a quasi-public/private organization that performed archival functions from 1890 to 1905. In 1905, the State of West Virginia created the Bureau of Archives and History; the first State Historian and Archivist, Virgil A. Lewis, took charge on June 1, 1905. The bureau was elevated to a department in 1925 and reorganized as part of the newly formed Department of Culture and History in 1977, which is now the Department of Arts, Culture and History. The Archives and History library, State Archives, and museum moved to the new state capitol in 1929, then to the Culture Center in 1976 when additional storage space allowed collections to grow nearly nine-fold.

Collections and Holdings

As of 2019, the agency held more than 16,000 linear feet of manuscripts and state government archives; 1,000,000 photographs, negatives, slides, and digital images; 76,000 books; 33,000 microfilms; 100,000 film stories and videotapes; as well as thousands of maps, state documents, and periodicals. The library subscribes to approximately six dozen West Virginia newspapers.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism/Media

The archives holds state newspapers and newspaper clippings on historical places, people, and events, as well as thousands of bound periodicals and microfilm copies of state and county newspapers dating from the early nineteenth century. Online Exhibits from West Virginia Archives and History showcase specific moments in the state's history including governor and senator papers, genealogies, photographs, and video collections.

Access and Usage

The Archives and History Library is a non-lending research facility located in Charleston, West Virginia. Access to manuscript, photograph, audiovisual, and special collections requires scheduling an appointment with an archivist one week in advance. Out-of-state research requests carry a non-refundable fee of $20.00.