State Resources — Rhode Island

Updated: August 2002 • Data on CD-ROM • County Offices • Vital Records • State Archives and Libraries • Local Genealogical Societies • Helpful Web Sites • GenForum Message Boards • Connecticut • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont

 Vital Records

State office keeps birth and marriage records for 100 years and keeps death records for 50 years. For earlier records, write to the city/town clerk where the event occurred or to the Rhode Island State Archives, 337 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903.

Divorce records are not available from the state office (see note below).

Birth, Marriage, Divorce, and Death Records

	Call (401) 222-2811 for information on record lookup fees. This will be a recorded message.
	Write to: Division of Vital Records Rhode Island Department of Health 3 Capitol Hill, Room 101 Providence, RI 02908-5097
	Notes: • For divorce records, write to: Clerk of Family Court Garrahy Judicial Complex 1 Dorrance Plaza Providence, RI 02903

 State Archives and Libraries

They currently have colonial petitions and correspondences, state census records, military records, newspapers, tax records, cemetery records, probate records, maps, and federal census records from 1790-1910.

Write to: Rhode Island State Archives 337 Westminster St. Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: (401) 222-2353 Web site: http://www.state.ri.us/archives/

 Local Genealogical Societies

Write to: Rhode Island Genealogical Society P.O. Box 433 Greenville, RI 02828 Web site: http://users.ids.net/~ricon/rigs.html