Genealogists love Fort Wayne because of our collection and staff, but they also rave about our affordable, family-friendly city. The library is located downtown, just a few blocks from dozens of restaurants, museums, hotels, and other welcoming amenities.
If you are bringing your spouse or family with you, you’ll find plenty for them to enjoy in our All-America City. From one of the top five zoos in the nation, to our brand new downtown ballpark, to the dozens of museums and attractions within walking distance from The Genealogy Center, Fort Wayne offers something for everyone!
And, traveling to The Genealogy Center couldn’t be more convenient - Fort Wayne, Indiana is centrally located just a short drive from many Midwestern cities. And our major highways and accessible airport make a trip to Fort Wayne easy for anyone.
Whether you are a casual family historian or a seasoned professional genealogist, there is only one place to research your family’s history: The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Genealogy Center is home to the nation’s largest public genealogy collection - and it is housed in a brand new, $65 million facility that is second to none!
Learn more about The Genealogy Center, and enjoy online tutorials including “The Mystery of Your Family History” and “How to Start Researching Your Family Tree”.
Open seven days a week, The Genealogy Center is world-renowned for its immense collection that is more accessible than any you’ll find. The Genealogy Center is home to over 370,000 printed volumes, 590,000 microforms, military records that go back to the 1700’s, city directories, census records, passenger lists, and so much more. In all, our collection totals over 961,726 items!
Our holdings include:
- Completed family histories
- Census records
- Military records from the Revolutionary War to the present
- Extensive passenger lists
- US local records
- Extensive international collections
- City directories
- Periodicals
- Vital records
- Native American and African American records
- and so much more!
You would literally have to travel the world to find everything we have nestled here!
Even though our physical collection is one of the largest in the world, our electronic and virtual content is world-class too. We provide free access to several databases only available to libraries, and subscribe to the top seven licensed genealogical databases. In addition, you can view hundreds of thousands of files on microfilm, and access the Salt Lake City holdings, all from a free, easy-to-use facility right here in Fort Wayne.
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Take a Video Tour of the Genealogy Center
The Genealogy Center is fully staffed with trained genealogists who are eager to help you get started, or dig deeper into your family research. Your individual research can be evaluated and an individual research plan can be created for your needs.
Our personal touch makes our enormous collection user-friendly and easy to navigate. You won’t just be gathering facts, you’ll be growing your knowledge and enjoying an experience like you’ve never had before.