Tennessee State Library & Archives

Details

About: The office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett oversees the operations of the Tennessee State Library & Archives. By law, it is required to preserve Tennessee's legal and civic history by housing the archives of state government and records from families, churches, businesses and organizations. The Library & Archives is home to several notable historical documents, including Tennessee's Constitutions, letters from Tennessee's three presidents, Civil War diaries, records of 55 past Governors of the State, maps and original records of the State of Franklin. The collections include copies of virtually every book published about Tennessee and Tennesseans. The Library & Archives preserve original documents from court cases and legislation, along with audio recordings of legislative proceedings since 1955. Records from every Tennessee courthouse and all surviving Tennessee newspapers can also be viewed in the library's collections.

Admissions: FREE

Guided Tours: Available by request, Tuesday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. Please email ask@tsla.libanswers.com to schedule your group tour.

Parking: Free patron parking in its garage. To access the garage, patrons must obtain a library card at the first-floor receptionist desk.