City Archives & Special Collections
The City Archives & Special Collections is the official repository of the records of the Municipal Government of the City of New Orleans. The Archives were originally established in 1773 by the Spanish Government. The mandate to collect city records is included in the 1954 Home Rule Charter, under which current City Government operates. In addition, the City Archives & Special Collections also preserves collections important to understanding the history of the City and how it has impacted local government. The department’s extensive Genealogy Collection contains books, periodicals and microfilms with emphasis on New Orleans, Louisiana, the Southeast United States, Nova Scotia, France, and Spain.
Early records from the City Archives Department include catalogs of collection volumes, newspapers, and ordinances. Once the New Orleans Public Library took control of the archives collection and established the City Archives & Special Collections department in the 1950s, department records are inventoried with those of the Library. The timeline below shows the creation and movement of the Archives from the Spanish Cabildo to its current home at the New Orleans Public Library.
The rules establishing the Spanish Government, including general instructions to the Cabildo, were ordered kept in the Archives.
Learn more about the Acts of the Cabildo.
The Attorney General called attention to the seals of the Archives and some public documents of the deceased Secretary Garic, which were lying around loose in the Archives, and recommended that the Commissioners make an inventory of these documents.
Pedesclaux, Secretary of the Cabildo, requested the Commissioners to permit him to use the two lower rooms of the Cabildo Building in order to make more secure the files of the Archives.
City Ordinance 2020 CC requested that the recorders of the First and Fourth Districts hand over the archives of the late Second Municipality, also the archives of the City of Lafayette, to the City Attorney.
Learn more about the different eras of City Government.
City Ordinance 2257 OS provided that the Mayor's Office be furnished with the current issue of each paper published in the City of New Orleans; the same was to be filed and kept as part of the City Archives.
Search the current collection of Historic Newspapers.
City Ordinance 6022 OS called upon the Commanding General of the United States Army (in possession of the city) to remove guards from City Hall (now known as Gallier Hall) and to allow the Archives to remain intact.
View other City Ordinances.
City Ordinance 1035 AS appointed a keeper of the City Archives, "to keep open the same during office hours, and to allow no book, paper or archives of any kind to be taken thence, except upon the order of the Mayor, with due receipt being taken therefor showing description of the article so temporarily withdrawn."
City departments were reorganized, and per City Ordinance 2956 CS, the salary of "one keeper of the Archives" was listed at $30.00 per month.
City Ordinance 2328 NCS authorized loans to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of "any pictures, curios, objects of art or documents in the City Archives, provided a receipt is taken therefor, and the same placed on exhibition in a safe manner, and to be sent to St. Louis without cost to the City of New Orleans."
The Official Proceedings of the Council recommended the utilization of space in the Howard Annex for municipal records and documents, then housed in the Archives in the City Hall proper.
Ordinance CCS 16,647 transferred the City Archives from within City Hall and the Howard Annex to the New Orleans Public Library.
The newly ratified Home Rule Charter declared in article V, chapter 6, section 5-602 that there must be a Public Library Board, and one of its functions was to "Maintain the City archives."
View the 1954 Home Rule Charter.
The current Main Library at 219 Loyola Ave. was built.
The City Archives moved to the newly constructed Main Library.
The City Archives published a Property Guide to help New Orleans citizens learn more about the history of their homes.
Use the new Property Guide.
A program called Jambalaya was organized to promote the history and culture of New Orleans. The program consisted of 194 events featuring 284 speakers, panelists, and performers within a framework of twenty-seven individual series. The program was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Learn more about Jambalaya.
Using a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, City Archives was able to microfilm all city records created prior to 1862.
Search the Times-Picayune in Newsbank on January 12 and January 22, 1989 for press coverage.
Archives staff published a Genealogy Guide to help people trace their ancestry through their New Orleans relatives.
Use the new updated Genealogy Guide.
New Orleans Public Library made its first forays into the internet with a website called "Nutrias," which was created and maintained by Archives staff
Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005. City Archives & Special Collections suffered minimal damage, and were able to reopen to the public with limited services on October 31, 2005.
Learn more about collections relating to Hurricane Katrina in City Archives.
With the remodeling of the Main Library, City Archives & Special Collections doubled its exhibit space by adding dedicated display cases on the first floor of the building.
View Digital Exhibits online.
New Orleans Public Library celebrated its 125th anniversary.
Learn how the Library celebrated.
The New Orleans City Archives & Special Collections celebrated 75 years in partnership with the New Orleans Public Library.
Learn more about the Archives in the Community.