Wisconsin Archives, Libraries, and Societies
This entry was originally written by Dawn M. Knauft and Carol L. Maki in Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
Contents
- 1 Wisconsin Historical Society
- 2 Wisconsin State Genealogical Society
- 3 Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
- 3.1 Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
- 3.2 Wisconsin Historical Society History Center and Archives
- 3.3 University of Wisconsin'Eau Claire
- 3.4 University of Wisconsin'Green Bay
- 3.5 University of Wisconsin'La Crosse
- 3.6 University of Wisconsin'Milwaukee
- 3.7 University of Wisconsin'Oshkosh
- 3.8 University of Wisconsin'Parkside
- 3.9 University of Wisconsin'Platteville
- 3.10 University of Wisconsin'River Falls
- 3.11 University of Wisconsin'Stevens Point
- 3.12 University of Wisconsin'Stout
- 3.13 University of Wisconsin-Superior
- 3.14 University of Wisconsin'Whitewater
Wisconsin Historical Society
(formerly State Historical Society of Wisconsin)
816 State St.
Madison, WI 53706-1488
www.wisconsinhistory.org
Between its archives and library, nearly one-fifth of the entire Wisconsin Historical Society collection, now containing more than one million items, deals with family or local history, making it one of the largest genealogical collections in the country. It is not, however, limited to Wisconsin history. The library attempts to acquire all U.S. and Canadian historical and genealogical materials. Vital records prior to 1907 are on microfilm for the entire state (see Wisconsin Vital Records). Census holdings include all federal censuses for all states. The society has all federal census indexes for Wisconsin and is acquiring some indexes for other states. There is an extensive collection of passenger lists and one of the nation's largest newspaper collections, national in scope, but predominantly concerning Wisconsin (see Wisconsin Periodicals, Newspapers, and Manuscript Collections, and Wisconsin Maps sections). Books, except for rare editions and pamphlet-size, are on open shelves.
The archives, housed in the Historical Society Building, holds manuscript copies of early state censuses (see Census Records for Wisconsin), sets of land, probate, court, and tax records from many Wisconsin counties and municipalities.
For more detail on the society, see James P. Danky, ed., Genealogical Research: An Introduction to the Resources of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1986) and the society's website. Hours at the library include some evenings, but are also affected by university calendars since the building is on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin State Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 5106
Madison, WI 53705-0106
[email protected] [1]
www.wsgs.org
Founded in 1939, the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society's mission is to help people discover the excitement of family history by providing leadership to the Wisconsin genealogical community and supporting them through education, communication, advocacy, and development of research materials. It holds two educational conferences each year, the one-day Fall Seminar and the two-day Gene-A-Rama in the spring. Each features outstanding speakers of national stature, workshops on special subjects and vendors of genealogical publications, supplies and services. The quarterly WSGS Newsletter includes church, Bible, vital and cemetery records, helpful hints, articles on genealogy and a free query section for members. The society also publishes indexes to the application files for its Pioneer and Century Ancestor Certificate programs. The files hold a wide variety of genealogical data, including vital, church, land, naturalization and probate records, obituaries and other data which can be of great value to current researchers.
WSGS is a member of the Wisconsin Council for Local History, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and an organizational life member of the National Genealogical Society.
Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
A collaborative system of thirteen area research centers in Wisconsin hold public records transferred by counties, towns, cities, and other local governments and collections of papers and records from private individuals and organizations. The goal of each center is to build comprehensive collections documenting the history of its region. The collections include photographs, newspapers, maps, and family histories. Many of the centers are enhanced by the contributions and volunteer hours of local genealogy groups. Newspaper indexes to vital records, cemetery readings, and original local church records can be located in some of the centers. Centers vary considerably in their collections and, therefore, in their value to genealogists. Archival collections usually located at the Wisconsin Historical Society or at one of the centers may be transferred temporarily within the network to accommodate local researchers (some exceptions apply, particularly for materials heavily used onsite). All archive and manuscript materials at the centers are cataloged centrally online at http://arcat.library.wisc.edu/. Write or call the appropriate center before visiting since hours vary by center, the calendar, staffing, and university schedules. Area Research Centers and the counties they serve are:
Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
Serves Columbia, Dane, and Sauk counties.
Wisconsin Historical Society History Center and Archives
Northern Great Lakes Center
29270 County Highway G
Ashland, WI 54806-9339
www.northerngreatlakescenter.org/
Serves Ashland, Bayfield, Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Vilas, and Washburn counties.
University of Wisconsin'Eau Claire
William D. McIntyre Library
Special Collections Dept.
Eau Claire, WI 54702-5010
www.uwec.edu/Library/archives/index.htm
Serves Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor counties.
University of Wisconsin'Green Bay
Library-Learning Center
2420 Nicolet Dr.
Green Bay, WI 54311-7001
www.uwgb.edu/library/spc/
Serves Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, and Shawano counties.
University of Wisconsin'La Crosse
Eugene W. Murphy Library Resource Center
Special Collections
1631 Pine St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
perth.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/Departments/archome.html
Serves Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.
University of Wisconsin'Milwaukee
Division of Archives and Special Collections
Golda Meir Library
2311 E. Hartford Ave., Rm. W250
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Mailing address:
University of Wisconsin'Milwaukee
Golda Meir Library'Archives
P.O. Box 604
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604
www4.uwm.edu/libraries/arch/
Serves Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha counties.
University of Wisconsin'Oshkosh
Forrest R. Polk Library
800 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
www.uwosh.edu/archives/
Serves Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, and Winnebago counties.
University of Wisconsin'Parkside
Wyllie Library/Learning Center
900 Wood Rd.
Box 2000
Kenosha, WI 53141-2000
www.uwp.edu/departments/library/archives/
Serves Kenosha and Racine counties.
University of Wisconsin'Platteville
Elton S. Karrmann Library
Southwest Wisconsin Room
One University Plaza
Platteville, WI 53818
www.uwplatt.edu/library/swwis/
Serves Crawford, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland counties.
University of Wisconsin'River Falls
Chalmer Davee Library
120 E. Cascade Ave.
River Falls, WI 54022
www.uwrf.edu/library/arc/
Serves Burnett, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties.
University of Wisconsin'Stevens Point
James H. Albertson Library, Room 506
Stevens Point, WI 54481
library.uwsp.edu/depts/archives/archives.htm
Serves Adams, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties.
University of Wisconsin'Stout
Library-Learning Center
Menomonie, WI 54751
www.uwstout.edu/lib/arc/
Serves Barron, Dunn, and Pepin counties.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Jim Dan Hill Library
PO Box 2000
Superior, WI 54880
www.uwsuper.edu/library/
Serves Douglas County.
University of Wisconsin'Whitewater
Harold W. Anderson Library
800 W. Main St.
Whitewater, WI 53190
http://library.uww.edu/archives/
Serves Jefferson, Rock, and Walworth counties.
