Take Action to Stop the Closure of NARA Chicago and San Francisco Regional Archives
31 July 2026
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced plans to close the San Francisco and Chicago regional archives, the co-located San Francisco and Chicago Federal Records Centers (FRCs)—facilities that store inactive federal agency records until they are destroyed or transferred to the National Archives—and the Seattle FRC. Transfer of records could begin as early as August 2026. To date, NARA has provided no information on where the 236,219 cubic feet of archival records will be transferred or how they will remain accessible to the public.
Take action today! These regional archives are vital to researchers. Write to your Representative and Senators in opposition to the closures. Inform lawmakers that these facilities hold one-of-a-kind, never-digitized historical materials.
- NARA San Francisco contains federal records from Northern and Central California, Nevada, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and other Pacific Territories. This list contains selected highlights of their holdings.
- NARA Chicago contains federal records from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. This list contains selected highlights of their holdings.
APG joins with SONA, Chicago Area Archivists, Organization of American Historians and other groups in speaking out against these closures. We need individuals to join us in sending alerts.
Use the tools created by SONA and Chicago Area Archivists to craft your personal message to send to elected officials. Need help finding contact information for your Representative and Senator? fundNARA.com has instructions on what to do. Send a message today!