Archive History

In 1982, over 100 volumes of official Rutherford County record books were removed from an earthen vault under the Murfreesboro town square where they had been stored since 1978. Under the guidance of Dr. Jim Neal, Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University, and Susan Daniel, County Genealogist, the records were carefully removed and taken to Nashville for fumigation purposes. After the books were freed from vermin, they were returned to storage on the second floor of the courthouse in Murfreesboro.

After the major renovation in 1996 of the Rutherford County Courthouse, these records acquired a permanent home on the third floor.

In 2006, Rutherford County proved it's commitment to preserving the records of county government by building a new $1.3 million dollar archives facility. Today the Rutherford County Archives is a thriving center for researching the permanent records of Rutherford County, TN. Under the guidance of John Lodl, County Archivist, and with the assistance of graduate students from Middle Tennessee State University, the Archives will continue to preserve the history of Rutherford County for present and future generations.