What is Special Collections?
The primary function of Special Collections is to foster research by providing researchers access to materials while ensuring their longevity. Preservation is a key component in the oversight of these specialized materials. Special Collections items focus on Local History, Genealogy, Family History, and Civil War research. Materials housed here include many formats: e.g., books, microfilm, manuscripts, photographs, maps, digital media, and more. Items here require more security and different user services. Many materials cannot be replaced and require careful handling. None of these items can be checked out.
Books, Maps, Microfilm & Digital Resources
Civil War Research
Discover the complete War of the Rebellion series and a large amount of material related to the Battle of Franklin. The Williamson Room houses Civil War historic books, all published before 1900, or shortly thereafter.
Thelma Battle Williamson County African American Collection
Local grass-roots historian and genealogist Thelma Battle spent years compiling information on local African-American families. Ms. Battle combed the communities of Williamson County and surrounding counties to gather thousands of photographs for her annual Black History Month exhibits, documenting local African American history. An index is available through our online database. The photographs are available to view in the department. Ms. Battle also gathered over 2,000 individual local African American funeral programs. These are available for viewing in the department and online. You can access this collection in our genealogy and local history database.
Richard Carlton Fulcher's African American Historical Collection
This collection contains excerpts gleaned from County Court Records and documents about persons of African descent in Williamson County from its founding in 1799 until emancipation. View this collection online in our genealogy and local history database.
Edythe Rucker Whitley Manuscript Collection
This collection consists of over 2,300 notebooks of genealogical research compiled by Mrs. Whitley during her lifetime. Over half of the collection is organized by surname. View the index for this collection on our genealogy and local history database.
Molly Bateman Reigard of Childress Research & Related Families
The Molly Bateman Reigard Collection of Childress Research and Related Families was donated in 2004, as a gift from the Childers / Childress Family Association. It includes family histories and miscellaneous data. Molly Bateman Reigard Collection description
Bracken Genealogy Collection
The Bracken Genealogy Collection is comprised of 3 boxes of genealogy materials related to the Bracken family of Nashville and related families. Bracken / Brackin Collection description
The Blandford Series of Yarbrough Genealogical Records
The Blandford Series of Yarbrough Genealogical Records was published by the Yarbrough National Genealogical and Historical Association, Inc. It contains 135 volumes of family history of the Yarbrough and associated families covering a multi-state area. For more information on the Yarbrough family, view the Yarbrough Family website, Yarbrough & Assoc. Families Index, pt. 1, Yarbrough & Assoc. Families Index, pt. 2
Pioneer Families
Commemorative Pioneer Families of Williamson County, Tennessee, certificates are available for eligible persons. Anyone directly descended from a pre-1850 pioneer of the County may apply for this permanent remembrance of their family history. The collection consists of booklets with documents to support the certificate holder's lineage for each Pioneer Family ancestor.
Local Author Collection
To highlight emerging creative work in the local community and to connect authors with readers, the Library maintains a circulating Local Author Collection and an archived Heritage Collection, for those significantly identified with this area, either by residence or by birth.