Minnesota Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

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Besides the Family History Library, other record repositories that have major collections and services for genealogical research are described below. The Family History Library has copies of some records of these archives, but all will have additional sources. Before you visit an archive or library, contact the organization and ask for information on the collection, hours, services, and fees. The Minnesota Historical Society’s Internet site has their catalog on-line, many genealogical research helps, and locations of other genealogical sites.
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'''Minnesota Historical Society <br />'''Minnesota Historical Society Library<br />345 Kellogg Boulevard W.<br />St. Paul, MN 55102-1906<br />Telephone: 651-296-2143<br />Fax: 651-297-7436<br />Internet: [http://www.mnhs.org/library/ www.mnhs.org/library/]
These repositories preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Minnesota.  


The Minnesota Historical Society Library has the State Archives collection, including local, county, school district, city, and state government records. The library has printed materials relating to the history of Minnesota, copies of the majority of newspapers published in Minnesota, and other historical documents. A guide to genealogical materials in their collection is:


Minnesota Historical Society. ''Genealogical Resources of the Minnesota Historical Society: A Guide''. 2nd ed. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1993. (FHL book 977.6 A3mh 1993.)
===Online Resources===


Much of the society’s collection is unpublished. Of interest to genealogists are the personal papers in these collections. To find out if the society has a manuscript on your family see:
*[http://search.mnhs.org/index.php?brand=cms Minnesota Historical Society Library, Collections Online], Birth and death certificates, state census, veterans graves, newspapers. index/images.<br><br>


Minnesota Historical Society. ''Guide to the Personal Papers in the Manuscript Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society''. Three Volumes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1935, 1955, 1977. (FHL book 977.6 A3m.) Lists the time period covered and a brief description of what is included, such as newspaper clippings, diaries, scrapbooks, and genealogical data.


Access to information about cataloged collections (printed, manuscripts, and archives holdings) of the Minnesota Historical Society is available on the Internet.
===Online Records===


=== Regional Centers ===
<div id="fsButtons"><span class="online_records_button">[[Minnesota Online Genealogy Records]]</span></div>{{DCfollowup}}


The Minnesota Historical Society has established regional research centers that find and preserve local records of historical value. Some regional centers have a large collection of genealogy while others have more historical documents. These centers may have family papers, manuscripts, oral history interviews, photographs, maps, drawings of homes, and business and organizational records. Some centers may hold local government records. Some centers have published guides to their holdings. The society has published guides to some centers. The following books list some of the regional research centers’ collections and their location:
'''[http://www.mnpals.net/F?RN=771285104&func=file&file_name=basic MnPals Union Catalog]'''


Fogerty, James E., comp. ''Preliminary Guide to the Holdings of the Minnesota Regional Research Centers''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society, 1975. (FHL book 977.6 A3f no.1.) This guide is divided into two sections: "Manuscripts" and "Oral History Interviews." Listed alphabetically, these include title of collection, person or organization, time frame, collection size, reference number, and an abbreviation that indicates which research center holds the collection.
:This is a statewide colleges and universities catalog online. Scores of academic and special libraries participate. It is free. Resources include a Civil War veteran card index, Minnesota alien registration card index, Minnesota biography file, photographs, a Minneapolis newspaper index, and several subscription databases.


Fogerty, James E., comp. ''Manuscripts Collections of the Minnesota Regional Research Centers: Guide Number 2''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society, 1980. (FHL book 977.6 A3f no.2.) This follows the same format as Preliminary Guide cited above. It includes new holdings and collections that may have been moved.
===Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in Minnesota===


The centers are listed below with the counties they cover. Call them for their hours, which vary from center to center, and to see what collections they may have.
[[Minnesota Online Genealogy Records|Online Records]]{{·}} [[National Archives at Chicago]]{{·}} [[Minnesota Historical Society]]{{·}} [[Minnesota Genealogical Society]]{{·}} [[Iron Range Research Center]]{{·}} [[Newberry Library]]{{·}} [[Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library]]


'''Central Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />Centennial Hall, Room 31 <br />St. Cloud State University<br />St. Cloud, MN 56301<br />Telephone: 320-255-3254<br />Internet e-mail: [mailto:cmhc@stcloudstate.edu cmhc@stcloudstate.edu]  <br />Internet: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/academic/history/wchrc/
===National Archives===


This center serves the counties of Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec. Mille Lacs, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, and Wright.
'''[[National Archives at Chicago]]'''[[Image:NARA Chicago.jpg|right|175px|NARA Chicago.jpg]]<br>7358 S. Pulaski Rd.<br>Chicago, IL 60629-5898<br>Phone: (773)948-9001<br>Fax: (773)948-9050<br>[http://www.archives.gov/chicago/ Wesite]<br>[mailto:chicago.archives@nara.gov/ Email]<br><br>


'''North Central Minnesota Historical Center'''
:Serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Includes federal censuses, Indian censuses for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin; Indian school records, passenger arrival lists, U.S. District and Circuit Courts in Illinois 1819-1982, Indiana 1819-1961, Michigan 1815-1961, Minnesota 1890-1957, Ohio 1803-1961, Wisconsin 1839-1961; bankruptcies, criminal cases, a multi-state naturalization index 1840-1950, pre-World War I military service, pension and bounty land warrnat records, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Corp of Engineers, General Land Office applications and registers, Internal Revenue Service, African American histories, fugitive slaves, and Great Lakes and inland waterways.<br>


Although this center has been discontinued, it is important to know that its collection was divided between Beltrami County Historical Society and the Minnesota Historical Society. While in existence it served the counties of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, and Lake of the Woods.
===Statewide Archives===


'''Northeast Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />University of Minnesota-Duluth<br />Library 375<br />Duluth, MN 55812<br />Telephone: 218-726-8526<br />Internet e-mail: [mailto:pmaus@d.umn.edu pmaus@d.umn.edu]
'''Minnesota Historical Society and Its Regional Centers'''  


This center serves the counties of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis. It is a manuscript repository with organizational, business, and family papers and records; maps; architectural drawings; and photo collections. It is also a publication library with at least 10,000 books and pamphlets, many of which are out of print. The center is not rich in genealogical material but works as a network with other repositories in the area that have genealogical material. For a guide to their collection see:
:'''[[Minnesota Historical Society]]'''<br>345 Kellogg Boulevard W.<br>St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 USA <br>Telephone: 651-296-2143<br>Fax: 651-297-7436<br><br> [http://www.mnhs.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:webmaster@mnhs.org/ Email]<br><br>


Northeast Minnesota Historical Center (Duluth, Minnesota). ''Guide to the Collections of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center''. Duluth, Minnesota: University of Minnesota and St. Louis County Historical Society, 1988. (FHL book 977.6 A1 no.57.)
::The Minnesota Historical Society Library acts as a [http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/records/index.htm State Archives], including a great genealogical collection, histories, biographies, newspapers, indexes, local, county, school district, city, and state or county government records, historical documents, and unpublished personal papers. Ethnic groups covered: Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Germans, and American Indians.ks, and genealogical data.<br>


'''Northwest Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />Livingston Lord Library<br />Moorhead State University<br />Moorhead, MN 56563<br />Telephone: 218-236-2345<br />Fax: 218-299-5924<br />Internet: [http://www.moorhead.msus.edu/library www.moorhead.msus.edu/library]
[http://reflections.mndigital.org/ Reflections Website]


This center serves the counties of Becker, Clay, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wilkin. For a guide to their collection see:
:Newspaper, photos, diaries and much more.


Northwest Minnesota Historical Center (Moorhead, Minnesota). ''Guide to the Northwest Minnesota Historical Center Collections''. Moorhead, Minnesota: Livingston Lord Library, Moorhead State University, 1988. (FHL book 977.6 A1 no.58.)
:'''''MHS Regional Centers.''''' The Minnesota Historical Society has regional research centers to preserve local records of historical value. These centers may have family papers, manuscripts, oral history interviews, photographs, maps, drawings of homes, and business and organizational records. Some centers may hold local government records.


'''Southeast Minnesota Historical Center (Winona)'''
:The centers are listed below with the counties they cover. Call them for their hours, which vary from center to center, and to learn about their collections.<br><br>


The collection of this discontinued center was divided among the historical societies of the counties it served and the Minnesota Historical Society. The collection included materials about the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona.
'''Central Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>James W. Miller Learning Resources Building, Room 314 <br>St. Cloud State University<br>St. Cloud, MN 56301<br>Telephone: (320) 308-4753 | MC 314<br>[https://www.stcloudstate.edu/ Website]<br>[mailto:archives@stcloudstate.edu Email]<br>
::This center serves the counties of Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine Lake, Sherburne, Todd, Wadena, and Wright. The collection contains political materials, local community history, individual family materials, and an extensive oral history collection.<br><br>


'''Southern Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />Minnesota State University, Mankato <br />Mankato, MN 56001<br />Telephone: 507-389-1029 <br />Internet: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/
:'''Northeast Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>Kathryn A. Martin Library, Library Annex 202
:University of Minnesota-Duluth<br>Duluth, MN 55812<br>Telephone: 218-726-8526
:[https://lib.d.umn.edu/archives Website]<br>[mailto:libarchives@d.umn.edu Email]
::This center serves the counties of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis. This is a very good research facility for the Great Lakes region with many county records, church records, histories, photos, and family folders. <br><br>


This center serves the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, and Watonwan.
:'''Northwest Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>Livingston Lord Library<br>Moorhead State University<br>Moorhead, MN 56563<br>Telephone: 218-236-2345<br>Fax: 218-299-5924<br>[https://www.mnstate.edu/library/university-archives/northwest-mn/ Website]<br>


'''Southwest Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />Southwest State University<br />Social Science 141<br />Marshall, MN 56258<br />Telephone: 507-537-7373<br />Fax: 507-537-7154 <br />Internet: http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/mho/regcent.html
::This center serves the counties of Becker, Clay, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wilkin. The NMHC contains manuscripts, oral history interviews, correspondence, diaries, newspapers, business records, oral interviews, photographs, family histories, and other materials related to the history and culture of northwestern Minnesota dating as far back as the 1860s. For a guide to their collection see:


This center is very active in the genealogical community and has a great genealogical collection. It has some county and local government records that would normally go to the Minnesota Historical Society. It serves the counties of Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Yellow Medicine.
::[https://www.mnstate.edu/library/university-archives/northwest-mn/collections/ Northwest Minnesota Historical Center Collection Guide]
::Northwest Minnesota Historical Center (Moorhead, Minnesota). ''Guide to the Northwest Minnesota Historical Center Collections''. Moorhead, Minnesota: Livingston Lord Library, Moorhead State University, 1988.<br><br>


'''West Central Minnesota Historical Center'''<br />University of Minnesota–Morris<br />600 East 4th Street<br />Morris, MN 56267<br />Telephone: 320-589-6183<br />Fax: 320-589-6117<br />E-mail Address: [mailto:ahernwh@mrs.umn.edu ahernwh@mrs.umn.edu]  <br />Internet: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/academic/history/wchrc/
:'''Southern Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>Minnesota State University, Mankato <br>Memorial Library
:601 Maywood Ave
:Mankato, MN 56002-8419<br>Telephone: 507-389-1029<br>[http://lib.mnsu.edu/ Website]
:[mailto:archives@mnsu.edu/ Email]


This center serves the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse.
::This center serves the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, and Watonwan. Holds periodicals, family folders, cemetery transcripts, obituaries, documents, newspapers, local histories, and genealogies. Collection guides are available in [https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3ASMHC_collection_guides ARCH].<br><br>


=== MnPals ===
:'''Southwest Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>Southwest Minnesota State University<br>McFarland Library, 5th floor<br>Marshall, MN 56258<br>Telephone: 507-537-7373<br>[https://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/attractions/historycenter/index.html Website]
:[mailto:pam.gladis@smsu.edu Email]


[http://www.mnpals.net/F?RN=771285104&func=file&file_name=basic http://www.mnpals.net/F?RN=771285104&amp;func=file&amp;file_name=basic]
::This center serves the counties of Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Yellow Medicine.<br><br>


WebPals is an Internet site that provides access to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Statewide Automated Library System (MnSCU/PALS). Scores of academic and special libraries throughout the state are part of this system. Library catalogs identifying artifacts and printed materials may be searched at no charge. Additional resources in the catalog include: Civil War veteran card index, Minnesota alien registration card index, Minnesota biography file, photographs, and a Minneapolis newspaper index. There are also several subscription databases on the system. Not all materials are indexed online.
:'''West Central Minnesota Historical Center'''<br>University of Minnesota–Morris<br>600 East 4th Street<br>Morris, MN 56267<br>Telephone: 320-589-6183<br>Fax: 320-589-6117<br>[http://www.mrs.umn.edu/ Website]<br>[mailto:ahernwh@mrs.umn.edu/ Email]<br>
::This center serves the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse.<br><br>


Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Statewide Automated Library System. "MnPals." [Internet online catalog]. St. Paul, Minnesota: MSCU/PALS, 23 July 1998 [cited 16 November 1999]. The catalog can be searched at [http://www.mnhs.org/library/search/index.html www.mnhs.org/library/search/index.html] .
'''[[Minnesota Genealogical Society]]'''<br>1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100<br>Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367<br>Telephone: 651-330-9312<br>[http://www.mngs.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:info@mngs.org Email]


=== Additional Repositories ===
:Located in the Minnesota Genealogy Center, the Minnesota Genealogical Society is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The goal of the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) and its branches is to provide education on methods of genealogical research, social activities with other individuals with genealogy interests, and a place to research ancestors. The William J. Hoffman Library & Research Center provides a wide variety of information covering many countries, articles on vital statistics, military records, immigration, mapping records and many other areas of research. The library collection includes ethnic sources, how-to-books, genealogical periodicals, and family surname folders. They also have many indexes of court records, cemeteries, and histories. '''MGS is also a FamilySearch Affiliate Library'''.<br>


'''Iron Range Research Center'''<br />Highway 169 West<br />P. O. Box 392<br />Chisholm, MN 55719<br />Telephone: 1-800-372-6437<br />Fax: 218-254-5235<br />Internet: [http://www.ironworld.com/ www.ironworld.com/]
===Regional===


This center has an extensive collection of records dealing with the string of towns that extends about 200 miles east to west across St. Louis County and other counties. This was a mining area where many immigrants were employed.
'''Immigration History Research Center<br>'''826 Berry Street<br>University of Minnesota<br>St. Paul, MN 55114<br>Telephone: 612-627-4208<br>Fax: 612-627-4190<br>[http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/ Website]<br>[mailto:ihrc@gold.tc.umn.edu/ Email]


'''Immigration History Research Center<br />'''826 Berry Street<br />University of Minnesota<br />St. Paul, MN 55114<br />Telephone: 612-627-4208<br />Fax: 612-627-4190<br />E-mail Address: [mailto:ihrc@gold.tc.umn.edu ihrc@gold.tc.umn.edu]<br />Internet: [http://www.1.umn.edu/ihrc/ www.1.umn.edu/ihrc/]
:The Immigration History Research Center’s collection is national in scope but includes European immigration to Minnesota by Czechs, Poles, Byelorussians, Carpath-Rusins, Finns, Greeks, Italians, Russians, also Albanians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Estonians, Hungarians, Jews, Latvians, Lithuanians, Macedonians, Romanians, Serbs, Slavs, and Ukrainians. The immigrants are from central, eastern, and southern European countries. A majority of their records are in a foreign language. For a guide see:
:*University of Minnesota. Immigration History Research Center. ''The Immigration History Research Center: A Guide to Collections''. New York, NY: Greenwood Press, 1991. (FamilySearch Library {{WorldCat|23694282}}; {{FSC|617980|title-id|disp=FS Library Book 977.658 A3i}}. Summary of the archival and library holdings. The purpose of this guide is to assist researchers in determining the usefulness of the collection and to explain the procedure for gaining access to records.<br><br>


The Immigration History Research Center’s collection is national in scope but includes immigration to Minnesota. The immigrants are from central, eastern, and southern European countries. A majority of their records are in a foreign language. For a guide to their collection see:
'''[[Iron Range Research Center]]'''<br>Minnesota Discovery Center<br>1005 Discovery Drive<br>Chisholm, MN 55719 USA<br>Telephone: 218-254-7959<br>Fax: 218-254-5235<br>[http://www.ironrangeresearchcenter.org// Website]


University of Minnesota. Immigration History Research Center. ''The Immigration History Research Center: A Guide to Collections''. New York, NY: Greenwood Press, 1991. (FHL book 977.658 A3i.) Summary of the archival and library holdings. The purpose of this guide is to assist researchers in determining the usefulness of the collection and to explain the procedure for gaining access to records.
:This center has an extensive collection of records dealing with the string of towns that extends about 200 miles east to west across St. Louis County and other counties. This was a mining area where many immigrants were employed. They have name indexes of immigrants.<br><br>


'''National Archives–Central Plains Region <br />(Kansas City)<br />'''2306 East Bannister Road<br />Kansas City, MO 64131<br />Telephone: 816-926-7271<br />Fax: 816-926-6235<br />Internet: http://www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city/
'''Stearns History Museum Research Center'''<br>235-33rd Avenue South<br>St. Cloud, MN 56301 USA<br>Telephone: 320-253-8424
<br>[http://www.stearns-museum.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:info@stearns-museum.org/ Email]


'''National Archives–Great Lakes Region (Chicago)<br />'''7358 South Pulaski Road<br />Chicago, IL 60629<br />Telephone: 773-581-7816<br />Fax: 312-886-7883<br />Internet: [http://www.nara.gov/regional/chicago.html www.nara.gov/regional/chicago.html]
:This county facility has a statewide and nationwide scope. Their strength is research for immigrants from Germany, and lowlands of western Europe (Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, and southern France). They have amazing indexes of early settlers.<br><br>


(Call in advance to reserve microfilm reader.)
'''University of Minnesota Wilson Library'''<br>309 19th Ave S.<br>Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA<br>Telephone: 612-624-3321<br>[https://www.lib.umn.edu/ Website] <br>[https://www.lib.umn.edu/ Email]


'''Minnesota Genealogical Society<br />'''5768 Olson Memorial Highway<br />Golden Valley, MN 55422-5014<br />Telephone: 612-595-9347<br />Internet: http://www.mngs.org/
:Their historical manuscript collection is great, including newspapers, business records, church records, local histories, maps, Norwegian Bygdebøker, and government documents.<br><br>


=== Inventories of County Archives ===
===Out of State===


In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Historical Records Survey produced 40 inventories of Minnesota county archives. Though the inventories are outdated in many ways, you can use them to learn more about the history, record-keeping systems, and available records of Minnesota counties. The inventories are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
'''[[Newberry Library]]''' [[Image:Newberry Library.jpg|right|175px|Newberry Library.jpg]] <br> 60 West Waltron Street<br> Chicago, IL 60610<br> Telephone: 312-255-3512<br>[https://www./ Newberry]<br>[mailto:genealogy@/ Email]<br><br>


MINNESOTA, [COUNTY] – ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY – INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
:A large Chicago repository with genealogies, local historiescensuses, military, land, indexes, vital records, court, and tax records '''many from Minnesota''', the Mississippi Valley, eastern seaboard, Canada, and the British Isles.<ref>[http://www./genealogy-and-local-history Genealogy and Local History] in ''The Newberry'' (accessed 27 February 2015).</ref> They have over 17,000 printed genealogies. The collection is noteworthy for its colonial America, especially New England holdings. They have church, town, and county histories from all parts of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. This includes a comprehensive set of New England town histories, and strong collection of county histories from the '''Midwest''' and Mid-Atlantic states. Their Civil War unit histories collection is one of the best.<ref name="DB39">Dollarhide and Bremer, 39.</ref> This library has research guides on various subjects related to genealogy and library holdings cataloged from 1978.  See


=== Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards ===
:*[http://www./genealogy-collection-guides-and-research-tools Genealogy Collection Guides and Research Tools] for more information about the collections. ''<br>''
:*A surname index to genealogical periodicals and local history books in the Newberry Library was completed in 1915 and published as ''The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library''<ref>''The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library''. Boston, Massachusetts: G.K. Hall, 1960. {{WorldCat|83367401}}  {{FSC|130151|item|disp=FS Library films 928135–928137}} and {{FSC|130151|item|disp=FS Catalog book 973 D22n vols. 1–4}}</ref> Since this index is old, be sure to use the [http://www./sites/default/files/textpage-attachments/Genealogical%20Index.pdf online guide sheet] to this collection before using the source.<br><br>


Computers with modems can be useful tools for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. In a way, computer networks themselves serve as a library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial online services help family history researchers:
'''[[Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library]]'''<br>415 West Main St.<br>Madison, Wisconsin 53703 USA<br>Telephone: 608-255-2224<br>[mailto:genealogy@nagcnl.org/ Email]


* Locate other researchers.
:This center has records of many Norwegian-Americans, including U.S. and Norwegian censuses, passenger lists, church records, family records, and Norwegian ''bygdebøker'' (farm histories).<ref>[http://www.nagcnl.org/research-tools-in-the-naeseth-library/ Available Research Tools] in ''Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library'' (accessed 9 November 2015).</ref>
* Post queries.
* Send and receive e-mail.
* Search large databases.
* Search computer libraries and on-line catalogs.
* Join in computer chat and lecture sessions.
* Order genealogical publications and supplies.


You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Minnesota in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels, and the list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost. Addresses on the Internet change frequently. The following sites are important gateways linking you to many more network and bulletin board sites:
===FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries===
{{FS_AfLib|Name=Minnesota Historical Society|Address=345 Kellogg Blvd West|Address2=|City=St Paul|State=MN|PostCode=55102|URL=}}{{FS AfLib|PostCode=55120-1367|State=MN|City=Mendota Heights|Address=1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100|Name=Minnesota Genealogical Society}}


FamilySearch™ Internet Genealogy Service [Internet site]. [Salt Lake City, Utah]: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 22 March 1999 [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at [http://www.familysearch.org/ www.familysearch.org] . At this site you can access the Family History Library Catalog, Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, SourceGuide, lists of Family History Centers, web sites related to family history, and lists of researchers interested in similar genealogical topics. You can also learn about and order Family History Library publications.
===References===
<references /> {{Minnesota|Minnesota}}{{U.S. Archives and Libraries}}


Howells, Cyndi. ''U.S.– Minnesota– MN''. In Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet [Internet site]. Puyallup, Washington: Cyndi Howells, 6 August 1999 [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at: [http://www.cyndislist.com/mn.htm www.cyndislist.com/mn.htm] . This list has more links to other Minnesota genealogical sites and describes more resources than any other site on the Internet.
[[Category:Minnesota Archives and Libraries|Archives]]
 
"Minnesota USGenWeb." In the USGenWeb Project [Internet site]. N.p., 1999 [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at [http://www.rootsweb.com/~mngenweb/ www.rootsweb.com/~mngenweb/] . This is a cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet, for each county, state, and country.
 
''United States Resources: Minnesota''. In RootsWeb [Internet site]. N.p., 12 July 1999 [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at: [http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/mn.html www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/mn.html] . This list of sites and resources includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.
 
Gaunt, Christine. ''Minnesota Resources''. In Genealogy Resources on the Internet [Internet site]. N.p., 14 Jun 1999– [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at:
 
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cgaunt/gen_int1.html .
 
This site provides links to vital record offices, genealogical and historical societies, queries, mailing lists, county-by-county Internet sites, and gopher sites.
 
"MnGenExchange." In Genealogical Exchange and Surname Registry [Internet site]. N.p., 1996–1999 [cited 26 October 1999]. Available at:
 
http://www.genexchange.org/state.php?state=mn .
 
This site brings searchable data to genealogists, including databases (church, cemetery, census, land, immigration, naturalization, and vital records), directories, historical accounts, mailing lists, queries, local surname researchers, and look-up volunteers.
 
For further details about using computer networks, bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research see the [[United States Archives and Libraries|United States Research Outline]], 2nd ed., "Archives and Libraries" section.

Latest revision as of 09:37, 19 April 2024

Minnesota Wiki Topics
Minnesota flag.png
Beginning Research
Record Types
Minnesota Background
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

These repositories preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Minnesota.


Online Resources[edit | edit source]


Online Records[edit | edit source]

Links to online databases and indexes that may include vital records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.

MnPals Union Catalog

This is a statewide colleges and universities catalog online. Scores of academic and special libraries participate. It is free. Resources include a Civil War veteran card index, Minnesota alien registration card index, Minnesota biography file, photographs, a Minneapolis newspaper index, and several subscription databases.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in Minnesota[edit | edit source]

Online Records · National Archives at Chicago · Minnesota Historical Society · Minnesota Genealogical Society · Iron Range Research Center · Newberry Library · Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library

National Archives[edit | edit source]

National Archives at Chicago

NARA Chicago.jpg


7358 S. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL 60629-5898
Phone: (773)948-9001
Fax: (773)948-9050
Wesite
Email

Serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Includes federal censuses, Indian censuses for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin; Indian school records, passenger arrival lists, U.S. District and Circuit Courts in Illinois 1819-1982, Indiana 1819-1961, Michigan 1815-1961, Minnesota 1890-1957, Ohio 1803-1961, Wisconsin 1839-1961; bankruptcies, criminal cases, a multi-state naturalization index 1840-1950, pre-World War I military service, pension and bounty land warrnat records, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Corp of Engineers, General Land Office applications and registers, Internal Revenue Service, African American histories, fugitive slaves, and Great Lakes and inland waterways.

Statewide Archives[edit | edit source]

Minnesota Historical Society and Its Regional Centers

Minnesota Historical Society
345 Kellogg Boulevard W.
St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 USA
Telephone: 651-296-2143
Fax: 651-297-7436

Website
Email

The Minnesota Historical Society Library acts as a State Archives, including a great genealogical collection, histories, biographies, newspapers, indexes, local, county, school district, city, and state or county government records, historical documents, and unpublished personal papers. Ethnic groups covered: Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Germans, and American Indians.ks, and genealogical data.

Reflections Website

Newspaper, photos, diaries and much more.
MHS Regional Centers. The Minnesota Historical Society has regional research centers to preserve local records of historical value. These centers may have family papers, manuscripts, oral history interviews, photographs, maps, drawings of homes, and business and organizational records. Some centers may hold local government records.
The centers are listed below with the counties they cover. Call them for their hours, which vary from center to center, and to learn about their collections.

Central Minnesota Historical Center
James W. Miller Learning Resources Building, Room 314
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Telephone: (320) 308-4753 | MC 314
Website
Email

This center serves the counties of Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine Lake, Sherburne, Todd, Wadena, and Wright. The collection contains political materials, local community history, individual family materials, and an extensive oral history collection.

Northeast Minnesota Historical Center
Kathryn A. Martin Library, Library Annex 202
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN 55812
Telephone: 218-726-8526
Website
Email
This center serves the counties of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis. This is a very good research facility for the Great Lakes region with many county records, church records, histories, photos, and family folders.

Northwest Minnesota Historical Center
Livingston Lord Library
Moorhead State University
Moorhead, MN 56563
Telephone: 218-236-2345
Fax: 218-299-5924
Website
This center serves the counties of Becker, Clay, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wilkin. The NMHC contains manuscripts, oral history interviews, correspondence, diaries, newspapers, business records, oral interviews, photographs, family histories, and other materials related to the history and culture of northwestern Minnesota dating as far back as the 1860s. For a guide to their collection see:
Northwest Minnesota Historical Center Collection Guide
Northwest Minnesota Historical Center (Moorhead, Minnesota). Guide to the Northwest Minnesota Historical Center Collections. Moorhead, Minnesota: Livingston Lord Library, Moorhead State University, 1988.

Southern Minnesota Historical Center
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Memorial Library
601 Maywood Ave
Mankato, MN 56002-8419
Telephone: 507-389-1029
Website
Email
This center serves the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, and Watonwan. Holds periodicals, family folders, cemetery transcripts, obituaries, documents, newspapers, local histories, and genealogies. Collection guides are available in ARCH.

Southwest Minnesota Historical Center
Southwest Minnesota State University
McFarland Library, 5th floor
Marshall, MN 56258
Telephone: 507-537-7373
Website
Email
This center serves the counties of Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Yellow Medicine.

West Central Minnesota Historical Center
University of Minnesota–Morris
600 East 4th Street
Morris, MN 56267
Telephone: 320-589-6183
Fax: 320-589-6117
Website
Email
This center serves the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse.

Minnesota Genealogical Society
1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367
Telephone: 651-330-9312
Website
Email

Located in the Minnesota Genealogy Center, the Minnesota Genealogical Society is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The goal of the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) and its branches is to provide education on methods of genealogical research, social activities with other individuals with genealogy interests, and a place to research ancestors. The William J. Hoffman Library & Research Center provides a wide variety of information covering many countries, articles on vital statistics, military records, immigration, mapping records and many other areas of research. The library collection includes ethnic sources, how-to-books, genealogical periodicals, and family surname folders. They also have many indexes of court records, cemeteries, and histories. MGS is also a FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

Regional[edit | edit source]

Immigration History Research Center
826 Berry Street
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55114
Telephone: 612-627-4208
Fax: 612-627-4190
Website
Email

The Immigration History Research Center’s collection is national in scope but includes European immigration to Minnesota by Czechs, Poles, Byelorussians, Carpath-Rusins, Finns, Greeks, Italians, Russians, also Albanians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Estonians, Hungarians, Jews, Latvians, Lithuanians, Macedonians, Romanians, Serbs, Slavs, and Ukrainians. The immigrants are from central, eastern, and southern European countries. A majority of their records are in a foreign language. For a guide see:
  • University of Minnesota. Immigration History Research Center. The Immigration History Research Center: A Guide to Collections. New York, NY: Greenwood Press, 1991. (FamilySearch Library WorldCat 23694282; FS Library Book 977.658 A3i. Summary of the archival and library holdings. The purpose of this guide is to assist researchers in determining the usefulness of the collection and to explain the procedure for gaining access to records.

Iron Range Research Center
Minnesota Discovery Center
1005 Discovery Drive
Chisholm, MN 55719 USA
Telephone: 218-254-7959
Fax: 218-254-5235
Website

This center has an extensive collection of records dealing with the string of towns that extends about 200 miles east to west across St. Louis County and other counties. This was a mining area where many immigrants were employed. They have name indexes of immigrants.

Stearns History Museum Research Center
235-33rd Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301 USA
Telephone: 320-253-8424
Website
Email

This county facility has a statewide and nationwide scope. Their strength is research for immigrants from Germany, and lowlands of western Europe (Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, and southern France). They have amazing indexes of early settlers.

University of Minnesota Wilson Library
309 19th Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
Telephone: 612-624-3321
Website
Email

Their historical manuscript collection is great, including newspapers, business records, church records, local histories, maps, Norwegian Bygdebøker, and government documents.

Out of State[edit | edit source]

Newberry Library

Newberry Library.jpg


60 West Waltron Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: 312-255-3512
Newberry
Email

A large Chicago repository with genealogies, local historiescensuses, military, land, indexes, vital records, court, and tax records many from Minnesota, the Mississippi Valley, eastern seaboard, Canada, and the British Isles.[1] They have over 17,000 printed genealogies. The collection is noteworthy for its colonial America, especially New England holdings. They have church, town, and county histories from all parts of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. This includes a comprehensive set of New England town histories, and strong collection of county histories from the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Their Civil War unit histories collection is one of the best.[2] This library has research guides on various subjects related to genealogy and library holdings cataloged from 1978. See
  • Genealogy Collection Guides and Research Tools for more information about the collections.
  • A surname index to genealogical periodicals and local history books in the Newberry Library was completed in 1915 and published as The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library[3] Since this index is old, be sure to use the online guide sheet to this collection before using the source.

Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library
415 West Main St.
Madison, Wisconsin 53703 USA
Telephone: 608-255-2224
Email

This center has records of many Norwegian-Americans, including U.S. and Norwegian censuses, passenger lists, church records, family records, and Norwegian bygdebøker (farm histories).[4]

FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries[edit | edit source]

Minnesota Historical Society
345 Kellogg Blvd West
St Paul, MN 55102
Minnesota Genealogical Society
1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367


References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Genealogy and Local History in The Newberry (accessed 27 February 2015).
  2. ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 39.
  3. ↑ The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library. Boston, Massachusetts: G.K. Hall, 1960. WorldCat 83367401 FS Library films 928135–928137 and FS Catalog book 973 D22n vols. 1–4
  4. ↑ Available Research Tools in Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library (accessed 9 November 2015).
v • d• e
Links to Minnesota-related articles
Topics
Counties
Aitkin · Anoka · Becker · Beltrami · Benton · Big Stone · Blue Earth · Brown · Carlton · Carver · Cass · Chippewa · Chisago · Clay · Clearwater · Cook · Cottonwood · Crow Wing · Dakota · Dodge · Douglas · Faribault · Fillmore · Freeborn · Goodhue · Grant · Hennepin · Houston · Hubbard · Isanti · Itasca · Jackson · Kanabec · Kandiyohi · Kittson · Koochiching · Lac qui Parle · Lake · Lake of the Woods · Le Sueur · Lincoln · Lyon · Mahnomen · Marshall · Martin · McLeod · Meeker · Mille Lacs · Morrison · Mower · Murray · Nicollet · Nobles · Norman · Olmsted · Otter Tail · Pennington · Pine · Pipestone · Polk · Pope · Ramsey · Red Lake · Redwood · Renville · Rice · Rock · Roseau · Scott · Sherburne · Sibley · St. Louis · Stearns · Steele · Stevens · Swift · Todd · Traverse · Wabasha · Wadena · Waseca · Washington · Watonwan · Wilkin · Winona · Wright · Yellow Medicine
Extinct
Counties
Major
Repositories
Online Records · National Archives at Chicago · Minnesota Historical Society · MHS Regional Centers: Central · Northeast · Northwest · Southern · Southwest · West Central · Minnesota Genealogical Society · Immigration History Research Center · Iron Range Research Center · Stearns History Museum Research Center · University of Minnesota Wilson Library · Newberry Library · Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library
Migration
Routes
References
  1. ↑ Prior to Minnesota becoming a territory much of north eastern Minnesota was in Saint Croix County (now located only in Wisconsin)
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