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Georgia: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide

Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Georgia.

Introduction

William G. Bonner. Bonner's pocket map of the state of Georgia. 1851. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division.

The last of the 13 colonies, Georgia was established in 1732 and founded and ruled by a Board of Trustees. Georgia was the only colony where slavery was banned at it's formation. After the trustees lifted the ban on slavery, Georgia moved forward establishing a coastal plantation economy based on rice and cotton. Georgia's Native American population was forced into exile during the 1830's which become known as the "Trail of Tears." By 1860, Georgia was more industrialized and was the second largest state east of the Mississippi River. Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union, playing a crucial role in the secession crisis and the formation of the Confederacy.

This guide offers a selection of resources and strategies for Georgia local history and genealogy research. These include the print and digital collections of the Library of Congress, as well as external repositories and web sites key to finding forebears in the Peach state.

About Local History & Genealogy Reference Services

The Library of Congress has one of the world's premier collections of U.S. and foreign genealogical and local historical publications, numbering more than 50,000 compiled family histories and over 100,000 U.S. local histories. The Library's genealogy collection began as early as 1815 with the purchase of Thomas Jefferson's library.