Fort Wayne, Indiana holds a special place in the hearts of many genealogists. Home to the nation’s second-largest genealogy center in the country, with one of the largest physical collections in the world.

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library is fully staffed with trained genealogists who are eager to help you get started or dig deeper into your family history.

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Don’t take our word for it! Discover why the Genealogy Center is a favorite for genealogists from visitors who’ve experienced the collection and facility firsthand.

Two adults wearing masks looking at a computer in the Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Genealogy Center Visitor Recommendations

Make the Most of Your Time

“A group of us make a four-hour trip to spend four days of research at the Allen County Public Library [home of the Genealogy Center.] The material there is unbelievable, the staff is great, and when it is time to leave to go home, I leave with a large “to-do list” for my next trip back,” says Marilyn A.

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library is located in downtown Fort Wayne, just blocks from dozens of restaurants, museums, hotels, and other welcoming amenities.

Make your trip focused all on your research or make the most of your time in Fort Wayne with our affordable attractions, public art, and diverse food scene.

Where to Stay: Save during your stay with a hotel package. Or, plan your stay with convenience in mind and choose one of the three downtown properties within walking distance of the Genealogy Center.

Where to Eat: From classic restaurants to award-winning chefs, and high-quality ethnic restaurants - take advantage of Fort Wayne’s outstanding food scene with more than 50 restaurants within an easy walk of the Genealogy Center.

Family history meets family vacation in Fort Wayne. Discover outdoor activities, explore the murals and public art dotted around the city, or let your family enjoy the attractions and museums like the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo while you research!

Use our Fort Wayne Visitor Guide and our Genealogy Resource Guide to help you start planning!

View of the Wells Street Bridge at Promenade Park in Downtown Fort Wayne

The Genealogy Center Collection

“I have been there [the Genealogy Center] many times and found a lot of information on different branches of my family. Anyone interested in genealogy research should go there,” says Janice M.

Browse completed family histories, census records, military records, passenger lists, and more. From books to online databases, microfilms, and other records the Genealogy Center continues to grow by more than 1,000 items per month. 

You don’t have to have your ancestry date back to the Midwest to find success at the Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Genealogy Center collection also includes rich materials with resources for researchers of Native American and First Nations history and life, a significant collection of Canadian materials, and beyond. Also, the Genealogy Center’s collection of African American records and resources, as well as online data, is among the best in the country.

Genealogy Center - Research - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Professional Genealogist

“How wonderful to have a committed group of people to assist in maintaining our history,” says Peter L. of Alabama.

The Genealogy Center is fully staffed with trained genealogists who are eager to help you get started or dig deeper into your family history. They can evaluate your research and create a personalized research plan.

“Online data is great and my on-site visit was well worth it.  I found the staff was truly Helpful, Friendly, and committed to helping me discover my family's history,” says Scott L.

The Genealogy Center staff also all have their specialties and can help you dive deeper into specific areas of your research. And, if you’re having a particularly hard time finding traditional family history records, the Genealogy Center are experts at using historical context as a 4th dimension to help research family histories that many might think are lost.

Choose Your Own Fort Wayne Adventure - Genealogy

All for FREE

The center’s librarians are visionaries in their field, and also warm and welcoming. On top of all that, the center’s resources are free. "We help anyone from anywhere," Allison DePrey Singleton, senior librarian, said.

Quotes pulled from Kit Magazine Roots & Wings article published in March 2020.

The Genealogy Center is an invaluable resource providing their services and materials for FREE to anyone that is interested in furthering their family history research or who want to start researching their family history. 

Of course, you can research your family history from the comfort of your own home, but there is something special at the Genealogy Center that makes it much more of an experience. The people and the facility make the Genealogy Center so special, and we hope you get the chance to enjoy it in person sometime soon.

Genealogy

With more than 1.2 million physical items, access to the top seven licensed genealogical databases, and FREE assistance - the Genealogy Center is one of the best places to continue or begin your family history research!

*Comments sourced from Facebook posts, Google Reviews, and media stories.