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Kelley Sirko

Kelley Sirko received her B.A. in English from Ohio Wesleyan University, her M.A. in English from the College of Charleston, her M.L.I.S. from the University of South Carolina, and her C.A. from the Academy of Certified Archivists. Kelley manages the Metro Archives website, supervises interns, and specializes in archival processing, conservation, and exhibit planning. Her research interests include genealogy, law, immigration, and antebellum African-American history.

Latest Blog Posts

When two people got married in Nashville during the 19th century, it was not unusual for the officiant to write something like, “I hereby certify that I solemnized the rights of matrimony between the above named” on the back of the marriage certificate, and sign it. Some of these notes are wordy and elaborate, some are short and sweet. In the case of Justice of the Peace Willie Barrow, the notes also contained flashes of dry wit and sarcasm.

One of our most prized possessions at the Metro Archives is a rare cookbook compiled for the first Tennessee State Fair, held in Nashville at the fairgrounds in 1906. There are few of these left, and it's an artifact that marks a tradition that has been part of Nashville's history for over a century.