kinship Family Heritage Research Center
About
The kinship Family Heritage Research Center is one of Washington County’s “go-to” spots to learn more about the rich history of the area’s founding, industrial roots, and family ties. The genealogical library houses books, photographs, letters, diaries, maps, and various digital resources to assist visitors on their quest for ancestral information. A genealogical researcher is available most Wednesday to support research inquiries. A small fee will be charged for the use of the library and for copies.
Do you frequent the kinship Family Heritage Research Center or want to support the library’s mission? Please consider purchasing an annual $25 kinship membership.
Plan Your Visit
Before visiting kinship, please note that food and beverages, purses, bags, coats, cell phones, digital cameras, personal scanners, pens and other permanent marking implements are not allowed in the kinship reading room. Onsite lockers are available for no charge.
LOCATION
135 W. Washington St.
Hagerstown, MD 21740
LIBRARY HOURS
Tuesday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Genealogy Consultation Hours
Wednesdays: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Parking
On-street parking available. Please note that on-street parking is metered Monday–Friday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and the staff may not always be able to make change for the meters.
Available Resources at kinship
kinship is home to a wide variety of genealogical resources. Our collections include the following local, regional and national resources:
- » Family History Files (click here for a full listing)
- » Published Family Histories and Genealogical Manuscripts
- » Family Bibles
- » Hagerstown Newspaper Archives
- » Hagerstown City Directories
- » Hagerstown and Washington County History files
- » Washington County and Frederick County Census Records
- » Washington County and Frederick County Church and Cemetery Records
- » Washington County Revolutionary and Civil War Records
- » Records from Neighboring Counties and States
- » Historic Photographs
- » Historic Maps
- » Rare Books and Special Collections
- » Oral History
- » Historic Films
kinship also offers onsite access to the following digital resources: Ancestry Library Edition, Fold3, PastPerfect, and Newspaperarchive.com, as well as tutorials in using our digital resources.
Fee-for-Service Genealogy Research
If you are interested in furthering your genealogy search or do not have the time to conduct a study yourself, a staff researcher is available on a fee-for-service basis. For a reasonable fee, the staff researcher will work closely with you to uncover your hidden family histories. A minimum of four hours is required for service. Interested in learning more about pricing or service? Please contact the Washington County Historical Society for more information.
Making Reproductions
Many of the materials held at kinship are available for reproduction.
If the requested materials can be safely photocopied, copies can be provided at a cost of $0.25/page.
For our out of town patrons, we have a variety of delivery options available. Please do not hesitate to contact our staff with any questions about reproductions!
Donate
Make a fully tax-deductible contribution to Washington County Historical Society and help us bring the past to life. Our mission to connect people to the those who have gone before us has never been more relevant—donate today and extend the experience for all. WCHS is a 501(c)3 not for profit institution. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
