Vertical Files...What Are They?

"31 Days of Tips from The Archive Lady"

DAY #17

In the movie Forrest Gump, actor Tom Hanks playing Forrest Gump says "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get".

In the archives world it can be said "Vertical files are like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get".

Vertical files or Subject files as they are sometimes called can be located in most state and local archives, historical society collections, genealogical society collections, libraries and in some museum collections.  What exactly are vertical files? 

Vertical files are a collection of documents and ephemera that are put in file folders which are then put in filing cabinets and cataloged by surname or subject.  These files could contain just about anything that can fit into a file folder.  Most repositories will create an index by the title on each folder but most of the time what is inside of each folder is not cataloged. Vertical files are sometimes seen as a "catch all" or a "hodgepodge" for all those documents that don't really go anywhere else but should not be discarded.

Vertical file drawer in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives

Genealogists should be encouraged to ask the archive if they have vertical files. These collections of records could be very valuable for genealogy research. Some archives don't always advertise that they have a collection of vertical files, so it's important that the researcher ask the archivist specifically about this collection. 

Usually you will have to request the files that you would like to look at and the archivist will retrieve them and bring them to you, sometimes only one or two files at a time. Then you will be allowed to go through what is contained in the file and make copies of what is important.  Once you have finished with the file, give it back to the archivist who will then bring other files that have been requested one or two at a time.

            Contents of Parker Surname Vertical File at the Houston County, TN. Archives

Next time you are at your local archive, ask if they have vertical files "you never know what you are going to get".



REMEMBER: IT'S NOT ALL ONLINE, CONTACT OR VISIT AN ARCHIVE TODAY!

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Want to know more about Vertical Files?

Watch My Legacy Family Tree Webinar:

Vertical Files: What Are They and How To Use Them

http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=1167