Below you will find the resources and repositories mentioned in Episode 1 of our YouTube channel, Pennsylvania Genealogy Adventures. (If you haven't seen it, you can find that video here.) If you believe your organization or repository should be added to this list, please contact us.
Basic Facts about Dauphin County
• Dauphin County was established from Lancaster County in 1785.
• Newspapers covering the area to become Dauphin County survive from 1778 forward, primarily written in German. English-speaking newspapers begin in 1797.
• The county seat is Harrisburg, which is also the state capital.
• The Dauphin County Court House, Historical Society of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania State Library and Pennsylvania State Archives are all located within a two-mile radius in downtown Harrisburg.
Dauphin County Court Records of Interest to Genealogical and Historical Researchers
| Index to Wills | 1785-current |
| Wills | 1785-current |
| Index to Orphans' Court Dockets | 1785-current |
| Orphans' Court Dockets | 1785-current |
| Estate Inventories | 1785-current |
| Records of Death & Testators | 1855-1885 |
| Index to Deeds | 1785-current |
| Deeds | 1785-current |
| Marriage Records | 1852-1855 |
| Index to Marriage License Dockets | 1885-current |
| Marriage Licenses | 1885-current |
| Marriage Indexes | 1890-1970 |
| Index to Orphans' Court Dockets | 1785-current |
| Birth Records | 1852-1854, 1893-1906 |
| Delayed & Corrected Birth Records | 1870-1905 |
| Death Records | 1852-1854, 1893-1906 |
| Naturalization Petitions & Record Books | 1846-1900 |
| Petition & Record for Naturalization | 1917-1929 |
| Declarations of Intention | 1845-1906 |
| Almshouse Patients Register | 1914-1930 |
| Poorhouse Register of Deaths | 1866-1919, 1921-1924 |
| Register of Admissions & Discharges, Dauphin County Almshouse | 1889-1931 |
| Register of Admissions & Discharges, Dauphin County Poorhouse | 1865-1873, 1889, 1894, 1904-1923 |
| Bicycle Tax Ledger | 1899-1902 |
| Soldiers' Burial Records | 1902-1933 |
| City of Harrisburg Register of Births | 1875-1879, 1883-1886, 1906-1915 |
| City of Harrisburg Register of Deaths | 1883-1886, 1892 |
Historical and Genealogical Societies in Dauphin County
See our full directory for clickable links and addresses.
Historical Society of Dauphin County
Dauphin Middle-Paxton Historical Society
East Hanover Historical Society
Gratz Historical Society
Halifax Area Historical Society
Hershey History Center
Historical Society of Millersburg and Upper Paxton Township
Hummelstown Area Historical Society
Research Repositories in Dauphin County
Pennsylvania State Archives
Address: 1681 N 6th St, Harrisburg, PA 17102
Hours: Open Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Closed Sunday–Tuesday)
Website: phmc.pa.gov/Archives
State Library of Pennsylvania
Address: 607 South Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Hours: Open Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Closed Friday–Monday)
Website: pa.gov/agencies/statelibrary.html
Dauphin County Courthouse
Address: 101 Market St, Harrisburg, PA 17101
Hours: Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Closed Saturday & Sunday)
Website: dauphincounty.gov/government/courts
Dauphin County Folklore & Legends
To read the stories about Mrs. Boyer, the Stoney Creek “witch” and Milton S. Hershey's membership in the just-missed-it club, visit our folklore page, Hauntingly PA™.
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