The Clerk’s Archive is a vital aspect of the duties of the County Clerk. The function of the Archive is to preserve the Court’s history, which began when the county was founded in 1818. Over 1 million records provide glimpses of Vanderburgh County’s past. The Archive exists to serve the Public, Court, Judge’s Staff, Federal, State, and Local Government, Students, Scholars, and Genealogists. 

Records held in the Vanderburgh County Archives document the rights of citizens, the actions of the government, and important events in the lives of people. Estate files and wills from the Probate Court division can also document family history and provide links to ancestors. 

Most records are able to be viewed by submitting a public records request.

Access and Location 
The Archives facility itself is not open to the public, however, you may contact the Clerk’s Office to make a public records request. Please contact the office before planning your visit. 
Under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Law, I.C. 5-14-3, you have the right to review and copy public records. 

“A fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government is that government is the servant of the people and not their master. Accordingly, it is the public policy of the state that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those who represent them as public officials and employees. Providing persons with the information is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of public officials and employees, whose duty it is to provide the information...”As added by P.L.19-1983, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.77-1995, SEC.1. – 

Most public records are able to be viewed but some may be confidential per state statute.

Request Requirements and Procedures: 

1. Contact the Clerk’s Office first! Most records are not on site and may take some time to produce. 

2. Submit a public records request form. 

3. Be as specific as possible with your request. The more information you provide us, the greater the likelihood we can locate what you are looking for, especially if it is an historical record. Please include what court the document is in (Circuit/Superior/Probate) if known. Names, specific dates, and context to your request are also helpful. 

4. Please contact us if you are unsure what information to provide. Check the Public Records Request section for more detailed information. 

5. Some records may be confidential and unable to be viewed, per state statutes.

Copies: 
Copies are $1.00 a page. 
Certifications are an additional $3.00 per document. 
To receive records by mail, provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope with payment after the request has been processed. 
We accept cash, cashier’s check, or money order. Credit & Debit cards are accepted in person with a convenience fee.

We encourage you to follow our Archives blog at the following address: 
https://vanderburghcountyclerkrecordsandarchives.wordpress.com/

Check often for project updates, archives happenings, volunteer opportunities, and the work of our intrepid interns.

COLLECTIONS HELD 
As we progress with our inventory project, finding aids will be linked and updated to provide more detailed information about our collection. These finding aids will include: types of records, years of each record type, and content contained in each record type as records are processed.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Help Save our Local History! 
We invite students from local universities to apply for our fall or spring semester Internship Program. 

Fall and Spring Internship Applications are available. 

Interns directly assist with: 

• Inventory Project 
• Exhibits and Displays 
• Historical Research 
• Description and Arrangement 
• Programing and Outreach 
• Program Development 
• Research Guides 
• Contributing articles to the Blog 
• Fulfilling Public Records Requests

Fill out the application and send the completed form to agowen@vanderburghcounty.in.gov

• Internship Application
• Internship Job Description
• Recommendation of Internship