State and Local Government Agencies

Rhode Island State Archives and Public Records Administration
337 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903
TEL: (401) 222-2353
FAX: (401) 222-3199
Email
http://sos.ri.gov/archives/
State Archivist: Gwenn Stearn
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm.
Holdings (Inclusive dates 1638-present)

Description: The State Archives, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, is charged with maintaining the permanent records of state government. The collection of historical records dates from 1638 to the present and runs the gamut of Rhode Island's history from the reports of the Colonial Agent to the King of England (1638) to the papers of the Rhode Island Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation (RISDIC) Commission (1993). Holdings include state census records for the years 1865-1935 (in ten year intervals); military records; legislative records; and records of state departments, agencies, boards and commissions. The archives also maintains a large map collection and over 50,000 photographs. The State Archives also holds birth, marriage, and death records beginning in 1853. (After 100 years for birth and marriage records and 50 years for deaths, the Department of Health transfers their records to the State Archives. Birth and marriage records less than 100 years old, and death records less than 50 years old are only available through the Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, or the city and town halls.)

Rhode Island Department of Health, Office of Vital Records
3 Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908
TEL: (401) 222-2812
http://www.health.ri.gov/programs/vitalrecords/index.php
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm
Holdings (Inclusive dates 1897-present):

Description: This state agency has state birth and marriage records for the most recent 100 years and state death records for the most recent 50 years.

Supreme Court Judicial Records Center
5 Hill Street Pawtucket, RI 02860
TEL: (401) 721-2641
Email
https://www.courts.ri.gov/JudicialRecordsCenter/Pages/default.aspx
Contact: Stephen Grimes, Archivist
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm.

Holdings (Inclusive dates: 1671-1974):
The Archives at the Judicial Records Center (JRC) contains the pre-1900 court records that were created by the five (5) judicial counties (Newport, Providence, King's/Washington, Bristol, and Kent) of the colony and State of Rhode Island. The following types of records may be found at the archives: Civil cases 1671 - 1900; Criminal cases 1671 - 1900; Divorces cases 1749 - 1900; Naturalization papers 1793 - 1974.

Town/City Clerk's Offices

Description: The Town and City Clerk Offices of Rhode Island maintain the permanent records of Rhode Island local governments. Records held include land evidence and probate documents, city and town council records, birth, marriage, and death records beginning in the colonial era. (For birth, marriage, and death records see also entries for the RI State Archives and the RI Department of Health.) Town and city clerk offices in Rhode Island:

Barrington Town Hall
283 County Rd., Barrington RI 02806
TEL: (401) 253-7000

Bristol Town Hall
10 Court St., Bristol, RI 02809-2208
TEL:(401) 253-7000

Burrillville Town Hall
105 Harrisville Main St., Harrisville, RI 02830
TEL:(401) 568-4300

Central Falls City Hall
580 Broad St., Central Falls, RI 02863
TEL: (401) 727-7400

Charlestown Town Hall
4540 South County Trail, Charlestown, RI 02813
TEL: (401) 364-1200

Coventry Town Hall
1670 Flat River Road, Coventry, RI 02816-8911
TEL: (401) 822-9173

Cranston City Hall
869 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910
TEL: (401) 461-1000 ext. 3197

Cumberland Town Hall
43 Broad St., Cumberland 02864
TEL: (401) 728-2400 ext. 38

East Greenwich Town Hall
125 Main St., (P.O. Box 111) East Greenwich, RI 02818-0111
TEL: (401) 886-8604

East Providence City Hall
145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914
TEL: (401) 435-7596

Exeter Town Hall
675 Ten Rod Road, Exeter, RI 02822
TEL: (401) 294-3891

Foster Town Hall
181 Howard Hill Road, Foster, RI 02825
TEL: (401) 392-9200

Glocester Town Hall
1145 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814-0702
TEL: (401) 568-6206

Hopkinton Town Hall
One Town House Road, Hopkinton, RI 02833-0038
TEL: (401) 377-7777

Jamestown Town Hall
93 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown 02835-1199
TEL: (401) 423-7200

Johnston Town Hall
1385 Hartford Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919
TEL: (401) 553-8830

Lincoln Town Hall
100 Old River Road, Box 100, Lincoln, RI 02865
TEL: (401) 333-1100

Little Compton Town Hall
Box 523, Little Compton, RI 02837
TEL: (401) 635-4400

Middletown Town Hall
350 East Main Road, Middletown, RI 02842
TEL: (401) 847-0009

Narragansett Town Hall
25 Fifth Avenue, Narragansett, RI 02882
TEL: (401) 789-1044

New Shoreham (Block Island) Town Hall
P.O. Drawer 220, Block Island, RI 02807
TEL: (401) 466-3200

Newport City Hall
43 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840
TEL: (401) 846-9600

North Kingstown Town Hall
80 Boston Neck Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852-5762
TEL: (401) 294-3331

North Providence Town Hall
2000 Smith St., North Providence, RI 02911
TEL: (401) 232-0900

North Smithfield Town Hall
1 Main Street, Slatersville, RI 02876
TEL: (401) 767-2200

Pawtucket City Hall
137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02860
TEL: (401) 728-0500 ext. 225

Portsmouth Town Hall
2200 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871
TEL: (401) 683-2101

Providence City Hall and Archives
25 Dorrance Street
TEL: (401) 421-7740

Richmond Town Hall
5 Townhouse Road, Wyoming, RI 02895
TEL: (401) 539-2497

Scituate Town Hall
195 Danielson Pike, North Scituate, RI 02857
TEL: (401) 647-2822

Smithfield Town Hall
64 Farnum Pike, Esmond, RI 02917
TEL: (401) 233-1000

South Kingstown Town Hall
180 High St., Wakefield, RI 02879
TEL: (401) 789-9331

Tiverton Town Hall
343 Highland Road, Tiverton, RI 02878
TEL: (401) 625-6700

Warren Town Hall
514 Main St., Warren, RI 02885
TEL: (401) 245-7340

Warwick City Hall
3275 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886
TEL: (401) 738-2000 ext. 6212

West Greenwich Town Hall
280 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, RI 02817
TEL: (401) 392-3800

West Warwick Town Hall
1170 Main Street, West Warwick, RI 02893-4829
TEL: (401) 822-9200

Westerly Town Hall
45 Broad St., Westerly, RI 02891
TEL: (401) 348-2506

Woonsocket City Hall
169 Main St., Woonsocket, RI 02895
TEL: (401) 762-6400 ext. 135