If perusing a museum or taking a drive don't satisfy your need for knowledge of the valley, multiple places offer you the chance to dig deeper into the region's history -- and your own.

Clarke County:

• The archives of the Clarke County Historical Association, at 32 E. Main St. in Berryville next to the Clarke County Library, offers a collection of materials from 1836 to present of benefit to residents doing genealogical research on Clarke County families and local history. Among documents in the archives are county architectural surveys and newspaper and census records on microfilm. The archives will be closed this summer, beginning in August, for museum development. 955-2600. www.clarkehistory.org


• The Clarke County Circuit Court deed room at 102 N. Church St. in Berryville is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The court houses a variety of legal documents including deeds from 1832 on, marriage records from 1828 on, financing statements, judgments, and other criminal and civil documents. 955-5116. www.courts.state.va.us

Frederick County/Winchester:

• The Frederick County Circuit Court and the Winchester Circuit Court record rooms are in the judicial center at 5 N. Kent St. in Winchester. The record rooms are open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. A variety of documents are available, including land records, marriage licenses, divorce records and criminal and chancery records. Some records date to 1743. 667-5770. www.winfredclerk.com


• The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives in the basement of Handley Regional Library offer an extensive collection of research materials of benefit to historical and genealogical research about the Shenandoah Valley. The archives are operated jointly by the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society and the Handley Regional Library. The archives include manuscripts from the 1730s to the present, maps, more than 15,000 photographs and 500 published books. Two genealogy databases are available to people using the archives, Heritage Quest and Ancestry. The archives are open Tuesday to Wednesday 1-8 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 662-9041, ext. 23. www.hrl.lib.state.va.us

Shenandoah County:

• The Shenandoah Room at the Shenandoah County Library, 514 Stony Creek Blvd. in Edinburg, holds 6,506 volumes of local history and genealogy resources. The archivist is Jean Martin, who takes appointments. The Shenandoah Room is open during library hours, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 984-8200. www.shenandoah.co.lib.va.us


• The record room in the Shenandoah County Circuit Court, at 112 S. Main St. in Woodstock, has old documents and records for viewing. The record room is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Deeds, financing statements, judgments, marriage licenses, wills, divorces and civil, criminal and chancery records are among the documents housed in the court record room. Some documents date to 1772. The court cannot make copies. Cameras and scanners may be used if there is no flash or bright light. 459-6150. www.courts.state.va.us

Warren County:

• The Laura Virginia Hale Archives, behind the Belle Boyd Cottage at 101 Chester St. in Front Royal, provide resources for residents doing research on family genealogy, historic buildings and county history. A small library and reading room are on site and the Warren County Heritage Society oversees operation. Hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 636-1446. www.warrenhs.org


• The Warren County Circuit Court record room at 1 E. Main St. in Front Royal is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The court offers deeds, land records, marriage licenses, wills and judgments dating back to 1836. The court also keeps old minute books of Warren County Board of Supervisors meetings and records of all civil, chancery and criminal cases. 635-2435. www.courts.state.va.us


• The Samuels Public Library at 538 Villa Ave. in Front Royal has a special set of books called the Virginia Collection. The collection includes diaries, family histories, cemeteries records, books on history of the Civil War and the Shenandoah Valley. Residents must ask for assistance. The books are for in-library use only. 635-3153 www.samuelslibrary.net