Collection Guides
Overview of Alaska State Archives Collections
The State Archives preserves more than 30,000 cubic feet of state and territorial records. The bulk of the State Archives' holdings are state records (1959-present) that document the work of State agencies (Office of the Governor, Department of Fish & Game, Department of Natural Resources, etc.), as well as the Alaska State Legislature and State Court System. The State Archives also holds select territorial records (1867-1959), with the largest holdings consisting of Territorial Court records, Governors' correspondence, and land records from the Recorders Office.
Here you will find some of our guides and indexes within the holdings of the Alaska State Archives. PDF files can be viewed in your browser or downloaded for viewing with a PDF program, such as Adobe Reader.
Vital Statistics Records Online
1.1 million documents have been scanned by FamilySearch.org in partnership with the Alaska State Archives to make records available to the public. These records include birth, marriage, death, and probate records going back to the mid-1800s, a milestone resource for Alaskan genealogy research. An index of names connected to birth, marriage, and death records is available below, which links to online documents.
- Vital Statistics by Name [spreadsheet]
- Search Alaskan Records on FamilySearch.org
Probate Indexes
Naturalization Records
Genealogy Resources
WWI Military Service Records
In 1923 Alaska's Territorial Legislature passed an act* to compile a list of all Alaskans who served in the army, navy and marine corps during the World War I. Within a few years the Secretary of Alaska had a master register created that listed residents of the Alaska Territory who served between April 6, 1917 and November 11, 1918 and filed it for public inspection in the Territorial Auditor's Office. This register also lists Alaskans who died while in the service of their country. This register is cataloged as AS 34124 at the Alaska State Archives.
A transcription of this register was created by the Alaska State Archives to assist researchers. The register's information is available in the spreadsheet provided below.
WWI service records index [spreadsheet]
* May 2, 1923; Laws of Alaska 1933 Chapter 54, Section 3207, page 112; Title 1, Chapter 72: Session of Laws of Alaska 1923.
Historical Sites
Records of Alaska Natives in Religious Archives
- Records of Alaskan Natives in Religious Archives - Updated version coming soon.
Territorial Lobbyists and Clients 1937-1953
Alaska Corporations Index
The Alaskan Corporations Index represents the records of approximately 30,000 defunct (dissolved, stricken or withdrawn) corporations operating in Alaska from 1908 through the mid-1980s. If you would like access to corporation records use the index to provide State Archives reference staff with the following information: corporation name, corporation number, and location.
This index represents a single accession of records and does not represent all corporation records in the Archives. Contact the State Archives for assistance with other record groups.
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Slides Index
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Slides show the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound. Subjects include the Exxon Valdez, aerial view of the spill, impact on wildlife and environment, cleanup efforts, protests/protestors, and individuals involved such as the governor and other state workers. This collection is part of the Press Secretary Public Information Files (Series 612) and is comprised of 2,018 slides.
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Slides Index describes in detail each slide in the collection.
Nome Recorder's Volumes
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum Loan
Nome Court Recorder's Office volumes on loan to the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, Nome.
In 2005 the Alaska State Archives and the City of Nome entered into an agreement whereby more than 1,000 volumes created by the Alaska District and Territorial Court System were placed on loan to the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum. The volumes were generated by the Court Recorder, which documented land ownership, mining claims, and other land related records. The following spreadsheet is a comprehensive list of the 1,074 volumes currently held in Nome.
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum
102 Division Street
P.O. Box 281
Nome, AK 99762
E-Mail: museum@nomealaska.org
Phone: 907.443.6630