Genealogy & Research Tools

Research at the Butler Center

The Butler Center offers several resources to facilitate researchers of all levels. CD-ROMs and other subscription-based databases are available for use when visiting the Butler Center. For more information regarding available services, please call the Butler Center at (501) 918-3056 or email us.

  • CALS Online Catalog — Information about genealogy and Arkansas history resources can be found by searching the CALS catalog.
  • Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture — The Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a great starting point for Arkansas-related research.
  • Digital Collections — The Digital Collections are a growing resource of research material from the Butler Center holdings and newly recorded material.
  • Heritage Quest Online — Available from home with a CALS library card, HeritageQuest includes searchable images of U.S. Federal Census records, digitized family and local history books, an index to genealogical and local history periodicals, and other genealogy resources.
  • Census on Microfilm — Review the U.S. Census microfilm holdings available in the Arkansas Studies Institute research room.
  • Marriage Records — Review the Arkansas county marriage licenses on microfilm available in the Arkansas Studies Institute research room.
  • Military Records — Review the military service records on microfilm available in the Arkansas Studies Institute research room.
  • Historical City Directories — Review the Arkansas city directories on microfilm available in the Arkansas Studies Institute research room.
  • Freedmen's Bureau Records — Search a great source of African American genealogy in Arkansas on microfilm available in the Arkansas Studies Institute research room.
  • Social Security Death Index — The Social Security Administration Death Master File contains information on millions of deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration.
  • Land Records — Trace family histories through land ownership. Over 4.2 million land patent records from across the United States are now online, and 3 million have been imaged for the 30 public land states.
  • Digital Sanborn Maps — The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for the state of Arkansas. Covers the years 1867-1970; not all years are available for all locations. (Please call 918-3000 for login and password.)
  • Jay Miller Aviation History Collection — Search one of the world's most significant aviation and aerospace reference libraries available at the CALS Aerospace Branch Library.