Browse or Search the Society Library Card Catalog
7,887 publications available for research
The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia maintains a comprehensive library of physical historical publications, books, manuscripts, and research materials relevant to Southwest Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region. In pre-Internet days, a library maintained a record of holdings using a card catalog. This pre-digital library index system was made of many drawers filled with index cards, each detailing a specific book with information like author, title, and subject. Of course, modern day libraries have digitized this function. Our digital card catalog is a searchable database containing over 7,887 carefully cataloged entries spanning multiple centuries of local history, genealogy, military records, and cultural heritage.
Each catalog entry includes essential bibliographic information including publication title, author(s), publisher, and publication date to help researchers quickly locate relevant materials for their projects. These publications are available for in-person research at our library/museum in Abingdon, Virginia during regular operating hours.
What you can find in our collection:
- Local and county histories of Washington County and Southwest Virginia
- Family genealogies and biographical collections
- Military rosters, service records, and regimental histories
- Church records and religious histories
- Historical maps, atlases, and geographic surveys
- Photograph collections and visual documentation
- Specialized research materials covering the 18th century to present
Use these operators to refine your search:
"exact phrase"
Search for an exact phrase in the catalog
Example: "Washington County History"
+required
This word must be present in all results
Example: +genealogy +Virginia
-exclude
This word must not appear in results
Example: history -military
word*
Wildcard - matches any word ending
Example: civil* (matches civil, civility, civilization)
Combine operators for powerful searches:
+"Civil War" +Virginia -Sherman
Result: Finds publications about the Civil War in Virginia, but excludes any references to Sherman
Tip: Start with simple searches and add operators as needed to narrow your results.