Browse or Search the Scanned Image Index
273,941 digitized images available
The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia maintains an extensive collection of digitized historical photographs, documents, licenses, certificates, obituaries, and other records. This searchable database provides access to over 273,941 scanned images with thumbnail previews, covering subjects from Southwest Virginia's rich history.
Each record in the database represents a digitized historical document or photograph. The thumbnails displayed in search results provide a preview of the full scanned image. This collection is invaluable for genealogical research, local history studies, and discovering visual records of Washington County's past.
The image index includes:
- Historical Photographs - People, places, buildings, and events
- Documents - Legal papers, correspondence, and records
- Licenses & Certificates - Business, professional, and personal documents
- Tombstone Records - Cemetery and memorial inscriptions
- Obituaries - Death notices and biographical information
- News Articles - Historical newspaper clippings and articles
- Tax & Court Documents - Official government records
- And many other types of historical visual materials
Viewing Full-Size Images: The thumbnails shown in search results are small preview images. Full-size, high-resolution scans are available to view and purchase at the Society during regular hours, can be ordered by filling out a mail-in form with check payment, or purchased online through our website. Contact the Society for details about image reproduction services and pricing.
You can search by name, subject, category, date, or keywords to find relevant images. Use the advanced search operators for more precise results.
How to Search Effectively
Our search engine supports advanced operators to help you refine your results and find exactly what you're looking for in the image index.
"exact phrase"
Search for an exact phrase in quotation marks
Example: "Mitchell family"
Finds only entries containing that exact phrase in that order.
+required
This word must appear in all results
Example: +Abingdon +photograph
Both "Abingdon" and "photograph" must be present in every result.
-exclude
Exclude results containing this word
Example: tombstone -Smith
Finds tombstone entries but excludes any mentioning Smith.
word*
Wildcard - matches any ending
Example: photo*
Matches: photo, photograph, photos, photography, etc.
Combine operators for powerful searches:
+"Mitchell family" +photograph
Finds photographs with the exact phrase "Mitchell family".
"Main Street" +Abingdon
Finds entries with "Main Street" that also mention Abingdon.
ceme* +1900
Finds cemetery-related records from around 1900.
Pro Tip: Start with simple searches and gradually add operators to narrow results. The search looks through names, subjects, categories, and detailed descriptions. Use image numbers for precise matches.