MARS Home

MARS (Manuscript and Archives Reference System) is the online catalog for the State Archives of North Carolina, the Outer Banks History Center, and the Western Regional Archives. It contains searchable descriptions of the holdings of all three archives.

The State Archives of North Carolina collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to North Carolina. Its holdings consist of official records of state, county, and local governmental units, and copies of federal and foreign government materials. In addition to these official records are private collections, organization records, maps, pamphlets, sound recordings, photographs, motion picture film, and a small reference library. In all, the Archives houses over 50,000 linear feet of permanently valuable materials containing millions of individual items. The State Archives is part of the Division of Archives and Records, Office of Archives and History and the Department of Cultural Resources.

The Outer Banks History Center is a regional archives and research library administered by the State Archives of North Carolina and located in Manteo, on historic Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Its holdings document the history, development and growth of the North Carolina coast and include manuscripts, books, photographs, slides, and negatives, periodicals and serials, maps, newspapers and public records on microfilm, oral histories, audio and video recordings, ephemera, and original works of art. The History Center holds nearly 300,000 items.

The Western Regional Archives is a branch archives and research library administered by the State Archives of North Carolina and located in Asheville, North Carolina. Its collections document the history of the western counties and includes manuscripts, books, photographs, slides, and negatives, public records on microfilm, oral histories, audio and video recordings, and other ephemera. The collections and topics covered will continue to grow as the branch matures so be sure to search often for new series and items.

Last updated: 07/20/2012