Updates for the Academic Community
National Archives at College Park to Temporarily Close and Relocate Records to Kansas City
The National Archives at College Park, Maryland, has announced plans to temporarily close and relocate a significant portion of its records to the National Archives at Kansas City, Missouri. The closure is scheduled to begin on various dates throughout 2024 and 2025, affecting numerous civilian agencies from World War I, World War II, and the New Deal.
Starting from December 2, 2024, the World War II Civilian Agencies Cluster records will be temporarily closed for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. The War Manpower Commission is already available in Kansas City. The War Labor Policies Board, National War Labor Board (World War I), U.S. Housing Corporation, U.S. Food Administration, U.S. Grain Corporation, U.S. Sugar Equalization Board, Inc., U.S. Railroad Administration, War Industries Board, U.S. Fuel Administration, War Finance Corporation, Capital Issues Committee, Bureau of War Risk Litigation, War Minerals Relief Commission, and more will follow suit on a rolling-basis as Record Groups are prepared for shipment to Kansas City. Notices with additional information about closure dates and estimated reopening dates will be posted as Record Groups are closed.
Effective July 1, 2024, the records of the Federal Communications Commission (RG 173) will also be temporarily closed for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. Affected agencies include the War Production Board, Office of Price Administration, National War Labor Board (World War II), War Manpower Commission, Solid Fuels Administration for War, War Shipping Administration, Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, and Petroleum Administration for War.
In April 2025, the New Deal Agencies Cluster records will be temporarily closed for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. The agencies affected include the National Recovery Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, U.S. Coal Commission, Work Projects Administration, President's Organization on Unemployment Relief, Federal Fuel Distributor, National Youth Administration, Federal Coordinator of Transportation, Public Works Administration, National Bituminous Coal Commission, 1935-1936, General Records of the Federal Works Agency, Bituminous Coal Division, Office of the Bituminous Coal Consumers' Counsel, and more.
The Labor Agencies Cluster records will be temporarily closed on February 10, 2025, for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City. The National Mediation Board, National Labor Relations Board, Women's Bureau, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Children's Bureau, Wage and Hour Division, General Records of the Department of Labor, Office of Employment Security, Wage Adjustment Board, Retraining and Reemployment Administration, Shipbuilding Stabilization Committee, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Wage and Salary Stabilization Boards of the Economic Stabilization Agency, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, Labor-Management Services Administration, Employment and Training Administration, Employees' Compensation Appeals Board, Mine Safety and Health Administration, General Records of the Employment Standards Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission will follow suit.
The estimated closure date at the National Archives at College Park is April 28, 2025. The estimated closure date at the National Archives at College Park for the Federal Communications Commission records is July 1, 2024. The World War I Civilian Agencies Cluster records will be temporarily closed on June 20, 2025, for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City.
Researchers can check the status of the records by contacting the National Archives at Kansas City via email at [email protected] or by sending a letter to 400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO 64108. Please contact at least two business days in advance.
It's important to note that there is no publicly available detailed schedule in 2025 for the relocation of World War I, World War II, and New Deal civilian agency records from the National Archives at College Park to the National Archives at Kansas City. For the most current and detailed information, it is recommended to contact the National Archives directly or check their official announcements.
- Researchers can expect education and self-development materials related to the New Deal Agencies Cluster, such as records from the National Recovery Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Work Projects Administration, to be temporarily unavailable at the National Archives at College Park from April 2025, as they will be relocated to the National Archives at Kansas City.
- In the context of general news, it is worth noting that early in 2024, records from the Federal Communications Commission (RG 173) will be temporarily closed for relocation to the National Archives at Kansas City, which may affect researchers interested in the War Production Board, Office of Price Administration, and various other World War II-era agencies.
