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State Records

The Historical Society has served as the State Record Archives since 1905. Holdings include inactive unpublished records of state government with enduring historical value.

Guides to available records:

Kansas Defense Dept. map, 1942

Restrictions On Access To State Records

Public access to some archives holdings is restricted because of state or federal statutes or administrative regulations that prohibit or limit their disclosure. The Historical Society staff is required to implement any restrictions on access applicable to a record series while it still was in the custody of the agency that created the records. This sometimes means that authorization for disclosure must be obtained from personnel in that agency, or that the documents must be returned temporarily to the agency, which will make and implement all public access decisions. Disclosure by the Historical Society staff of the contents of some record series is permitted only after seventy years, or some other period of time, has passed since their creation. The primary Kansas statute related to this matter is the Open Records Act (KSA 45-216 through 45-225). Historical Society staff will be pleased to provide information about this law, as well as others related to particular types of records, but we cannot provide legal advice, and we sometimes must consult the Attorney General's Office when complex questions arise about disclosure of restricted archives holdings.