Records that document the functions of the government of Harris County are located in the Harris County Archives. The archives does not have the records of the County Clerk or the District Clerk. Please see Other Resources for more information.
Harris County Archives follows professional practices in administering the Reference Area of the archives. Please see the Regulations for Use.
It is beneficial for researchers to call before coming to the archives. For many queries, the archivists are willing to look up the information for the researcher thus saving a trip to the archives or the information may not be in the Harris County Archives. Every attempt will be made to direct the researcher to the appropriate repository.
The following is a brief but incomplete summary of records held in the Harris County Archives:
Records of the Assessor and Collector of Taxes (1895-1997) including Block Books, Poll Tax and Voter Registration lists, Microfilm, Maps, Building and Land Assessment Cards; Auditor's Records (1846 - 1983) including Voucher Registers, Bond Registers, School Financial Records, Flood Control, Navigation District, Annual Reports, Fee Officer Reports; Treasurer's Records; JP Records (1846 - 1966) including Civil and Criminal Dockets and Case Files, Forcible Detainers, and Inquest Records; Welfare Case Files (most stripped) (1921 - 1981) including WPA Applications (1936 – 1938); Medical Examiner’s (1957 – 2004)Inquests and Views, Administrative Logs, Clipping Files, Offense Reports, Autopsy Photographs; scrapbooks of E. A. "Squatty" Lyons, Jamie Bray, Glenn A. Perry, Bob Eckels, Dr. Joseph A. Jachimczyk, Jim Fonteno, and Mike Driscoll (1943 - 2002); Juvenile Records (1914 – 1989) including Administrative Records, Case Files, and Children’s Home Records; County Attorney Records; Board of Trustees of Bayland Orphan Home Records (1867 - 1948); Commissioner Jim Fonteno’s Audio/Visual records; Community Development; Harris County Hospital District media files (1938 – 1998); Precinct 3 Subject Files (1979 – 2003); County Judge Records (1956 – 2007); Harris County Public Library Records.