The Archives include family files with all the original court records. Additionally, they include photocopies of all the old marriage bonds and many other records (deeds, wills, land records, etc. ) and have organized them into notebooks for easy copying. The Staff is presently constructing a searchable database which indexes all the documents and are scanning the older documents for digital storage.

In 1836 the city of Cleveland consisted of one small log cabin located in the heart of the Cherokee Nation. This cabin, known as Taylor's Place, was occupied by Andrew Taylor and his Indian bride. During that year, the Ocoee Purchase Treaty was made with the Cherokees, and Bradley County was born. A legislative act established the county and gave it the name Bradley in honor of Col. Edward Bradley. Bradley served with honor under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812 and was also a personal friend of Jackson. The same act also specified that the county seat should bear the name Cleveland in honor of Col. Benjamin Cleveland, a Revolutionary War hero. The city of Cleveland was incorporated on Feb. 4, 1842, with a population of 400.