Sons of the American Revolution Library

The need to establish a Library for the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution was recognized by the National Founders, who specified provisions in the Constitution for the acquisition and preservation of Revolutionary War records, documents and relics.  The Library's development depended upon the establishment of a Washington, DC Headquarters building in 1927. The main reading room of our library serves many researchers. From 1889 until 1926 the Society acquired 225 books, which were kept by the Secretary General or Registrar General.  On March 1, 1926 the Society established a Washington, DC Registrar's General office at 609 Hill Building on 17th and I Street, N.W.  This office contained the "permanent records of the Society membership and genealogical records and reference library."   The 1927 Congress in Richmond, Virginia approved plans to purchase the Sixteenth Street Headquarters Building.  With that came the creation of the first Library Committee and by 1933 the collection was up to 914 books.   The collection continued to grow over the next few decades.