Jul 8

Jul 8 Discover your roots at the Davidson County Public Library Genealogy Department

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The Davidson County Public Library (DCPL) has built an incredible genealogy department that is available for public use. The DCPL has long been a pillar for the community, helping to make Lexington a place where people can come together, socialize and grow as a whole.

Recently, the DCPL improved their genealogy department and made it more accessible for the general public. In doing so, the DCPL is providing an amazing opportunity for everyone to become library cardholders and use the facility to get to know their family history and also learn more about themselves in the process.

Genealogy is the practice of tracing family lineages through historical documents, local histories and genetic analyses. At the DCPL you can find out more about your lineage by accessing local resources, such as business, school and church records. There is also additional information available from the newspaper articles dating back as far as 1855.

Although the DCPL has offered genealogy services since opening almost 100 years ago in 1928, with the guidance of Tonya R. Hensley, the department is thriving. In recent years, the DCPL genealogy department has helped countless people from all walks of life trace their roots and discover family. The department has even helped some beginning with little information or from a difficult background to find their next of kin, proving to be a hugely positive service to the community.

If you’re curious about your family history and want to begin discovering more about yourself and your ancestors, take a trip to the DCPL Genealogy Department at 612 South Main Street and begin a new adventure. After all, each person is different and each story is different, you never know what you might find out or who you might meet.

Genealogical and historical resources for Davidson County are available at all county libraries. Charges and fees may apply for research and electronic or hard copies of information. Local repositories for local historical and genealogical resources include:

Genealogy & History Room - This library service located at the Library Annex Building behind Lexington Public Library is available to serve all of your genealogy and local history researching needs. This link can provide additional resources and tips for your projects.
Thomasville Public Library - The Thomasville library has a growing Local History room available to the public.
Historical Museum - The Museum is the premiere resource for history in Davidson County.

There are other free online genealogy resources available on the DCPL genealogy website that provide links to other ways of accessing more public information. https://www.co.davidson.nc.us/298/Genealogy-History-Resources.