County archivist

The mission of the Hickman County Archives is to collect, protect, preserve, and make available to the public those documents that tell the history of Hickman County to her people, and the office is now open for public use during normal business hours. All bound volumes that have been microfilmed, with the exception of deeds and deeds of trust, are available for review with the original volumes on site for verification of unclear images.  Tax rolls from the 1860’s to the 1990’s constitute the bulk of our records now cleaned and organized.

The majority of records in the Archives collection remain to be cleaned and organized.  These records had been stored in the basement of the courthouse under less than ideal conditions for many years.  Hickman County now has provided suitable space and has employed a full-time archivist to begin the laborious process of cleaning and organizing our old county records.  Among the records awaiting attention are:  probate inventories and settlements, loose records from the circuit and chancery courts, marriage bonds, and guardian bonds and settlements.  Sadly, due to storage problems over the past decades, there will be many gaps in these records.  We hope and trust that the public will bear with us while the neglect of many years is reversed.  We all look forward to the day when these records are cleaned, organized, indexed, microfilmed and available for fast, efficient use by researchers.

Our Archives office and the Hickman County Historical Society work closely together to help visitors be successful in their research.  The Historical Society has wonderful resources and knowledgeable volunteers in the long and storied history of Hickman County.  The Historical Society's office is conveniently located just down the hall from us at the Old Courthouse building on the Centerville Public Square.  Their phone number is 931-729-3279, and they can be reached by email at hitnhist@att.net.

Hickman County was created by the Tennessee Legislature on December 3, 1807.  The original seat of government was at the town of Vernon on the Piney River.  The county seat was removed to Centerville in 1823.  According to various sources, most county records existing in 1864 were removed from the courthouse before Federal troops burned that building.  There was a fire in the building where the records were being stored in 1866 while repairs were being made to the courthouse.  As a result, there are only about three volumes that pre-date 1866.

Microfilm copies of bound volumes, as well as county newspapers, are available at the Hickman County Public Library on West Swan Street in Centerville and the Tennessee State Library and Archive in Nashville.

The Hickman County Public Records Commission supervises the Archives.  Our goal is to have the loose records in our collection cleaned, organized, indexed and microfilmed within the next three years.  We look forward to assisting you in your Hickman County research.  It is advised that you contact our office to consult with us regarding your needs and visitation plans so that we may schedule our time around yours.

Sandra Nolen

#8, Courthouse

Centerville, TN  37033

Phone: 931-729-6478

Fax: 

E-mail: archives@hickmanco.com

OFFICE HOURS

M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.