Cook County, Minnesota Genealogy
United States 
Minnesota Cook County
Guide to Cook County, Minnesota ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Cook County, Minnesota | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Minnesota | |
 Location of Minnesota in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | November 3, 1874 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Grand Marais |
| Courthouse | |
| Address | Cook County Courthouse 411 West 2nd Street Grand Marais, MN 55604 Phone: 218-387-3610 (Administration) Phone: 218-387-3000 Cook County Website |
County Information
Cook County, Minnesota Record Dates
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1897 | 1897 | 1897 | 1850 | ||
County Courthouse
County Recorder has birth and death records from 1900,
marriage records from 1901, land records from 1886
and military records from 1919
Court Administrator has divorce, court and probate records. [2]
History
Parent County
- 1874--Cook County was created 3 November 1874 from Lake County. County seat: Grand Marais [3]
- For a brief history of how Cook County was named, click here, then select Cook County.
Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Minnesota County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Minnesota County Boundary Maps" (1849-1960) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss
Places/Localities
Populated Places
Cities
Townships
Lutsen Township | Schroeder Township | Tofte Township
Unincorporated Communities
Hovland
Unorganized
East Cook | Grand Portage | West Cook
Neighboring Counties
Resources
Cemeteries
- Cook County cemeteries from rootsweb.
Church
Court
Land
The county register of deeds keeps land records once the land was transferred to private ownership. Abstracts and indexes for these records are generally available at the county courthouse.
Land records for Minnesota are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:
MINNESOTA, Cook – LAND AND PROPERTY
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Cook County, Minnesota Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Minnesota Local Histories.
Maps
Military
Newspapers
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Cook County, Minnesota Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Cook County, Minnesota Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Probate
Probate records may include wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. They may include the decedent’s date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, etc. See Minnesota Probate Records for additional information.
Taxation
Since Minnesota tax records include only persons who owned taxable property, many residents were not included. Still they complement land records and can be used in place of missing censuses or the years between censuses. There may also be gaps. For more information, see the wiki page Minnesota Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Minnesota Vital Records.
Societies and Libraries
- Cook County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1293
Grand Marais 55604-1293
Phone: 218 387-2883
Cook County Historical Society
- Johnson Heritage Post
PO Box 35
Grand Marais MN 55604-0035
Phone: 218 387-2314 or 218 388-0575
- North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum & Tofte Historical Society
PO Box 2312
Tofte MN 55615-2312
Phone: 218 663-7804
North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum
- Schroeder Area Historical Society
PO Box 337
7932 West Highway 61
Schroeder MN
Phone: 218 663-770
See also a List of Minnesota Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
Family History Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Web Sites
- Cook County, MN History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Minnesota Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Minnesota Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Cook County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
- Family History Library Catalog
- Cook County GenWeb
- Cyndi's List: Cook County
References
- ↑ Alice Eichholz, Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, Revised ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992), 385-403. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 1992
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Cook County, Minnesota page 363, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).