Wisconsin Genealogical Resources
The following is a list of selected Wisconsin genealogical depositories. Reference books should be consulted for addresses of county vital record depositories.
Irish Emigration Library
The Irish Emigration Library is housed in the historic Irish Cultural and Heritage Center (ICHC) near downtown Milwaukee. The ICHC is home to several Irish cultural organizations and hosts a variety of musical social events, dance performances, theatrical productions, public lectures and classes. The Irish Emigration Library at the ICHC is sponsored and operated by the Irish Genealogical Society of Wisconsin (IGSW). The ICHC is located at 2133 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53233.
The LDS Family History Libraries
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City sponsors a world wide network of affiliated Family History Centers.
These centers generally have limited hard copy resources but all have access to invaluable CD-ROM collections including The International Genealogical Index, The Ancestral File, The Pedigree Resource File and The Family History Library Catalog of the Salt Lake City LDS Library. All have access, on a loan basis, to the entire collection of more than 3,000,000 rolls of microfilm located in Salt Lake. These libraries are staffed by knowledgeable volunteers eager to help.
There are more 20 than Family History Centers here in Wisconsin including three in the Milwaukee area:
9600 West Grange (Hales Corners) 53130-1640
Phone: (414) 425-4182
Hours T-Th 8:30-3:30pm, 6:30-9pm Sat 10am-1pm
9904 W. Calumet Rd (Milwaukee) 53224-3202
Phone: (414) 355-2241
Hours T, W, Th, Sat 10am-2pm T, W, 7pm-9pm
755 Woelfel Rd (Brookfield) 53045
Phone: (262) 641-7408
Hours: T-Th 9am-3pm, T & W 6:30pm-9pm, Sat 1pm-4pm
Click Here for a complete listing of Family History Centers.
Milwaukee Public Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233
Phone: (414) 286-3000
See website for hours.
This library has a vast collection of printed and microform resources. Ancestry Plus and Heritage Quest online genealogical data bases as well as a cornucopia of databases are available. The genealogical collection is located on the second floor in the Humanities Room. This is one of the premier library websites in the nation.
UWM Golda Meir Library Archives
2311 East Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee WI 53201-0604
Phone: (414) 229-4785
The Archives Department has the two-fold mission of documenting the history of UWM and providing access to primary sources, largely from the metropolitan Milwaukee area, that have long-term research and instructional value for UWM academic programs. They also respond to the information needs of researchers worldwide, provide instruction sessions for UWM courses, host an annual lecture on local history, and display our holdings on campus and in the community.
The Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State St. Madison, WI 53706
Phone: (608) 262-3266
This library has an extensive US and Wisconsin State census microfilm collection. In addition you will find holdings of ship passenger manifests. An outstanding collection of Wisconsin history. A must use site for the Wisconsin researcher. Search for Vital Records here.
Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
The Wisconsin Historical Society, the University of Wisconsin System, and the Superior Public Library cooperate in a network of Area Research Centers located at UW campus libraries throughout the state, at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and at the Superior Public Library. Each Area Research Center serves a specific geographical region. Records created in and focused on the region served by a particular ARC are housed permanently at the appropriate Center. The Society maintains a courier service which allows members of the network to borrow collections housed elsewhere for the use of local patrons.
If you are interested in doing local county research this is the place for you. Click on this link for detailed information on each ARC.
Milwaukee County Historical Society
The Milwaukee County Historical Society was founded in 1935 to collect, preserve and make available materials relating to the history of the Milwaukee community. Through a broad range of activities, the Historical Society seeks to recognize and preserve our local history. In promoting a greater appreciation of Milwaukee County's heritage, the Historical Society hopes to develop a better understanding of the issues and challenges facing Milwaukee County today.
The research library is located at 910 N. Old World Third Street, Milwaukee, WI 53203-1591. For access to the research library, please enter through the doors on the East side of the building. Hours: Monday through Friday - 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.. Sunday - Closed, phone: 414-273-7487.
Erin Historical Society
The Erin Historical Society was established as a non-profit in 2006 by a group of dedicated volunteers who felt it was important to capture and share memories and artifacts of the Township of Erin - a place many of them have called home for years.
Genealogical Research Society of Eau Claire
These indexes are maintained by the GRSEC and sponsored by the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. Indexes include obituaries, cemeteries, biographies, marriages, etc.
The Genealogist and the Courthouse
Using Wisconsin and Michigan UP Courthouses For Genealogy
These Web pages will tell you know how to get at the information in vital records at courthouses in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and what you can expect when you visit a courthouse. Through this page, you can also get at some interesting statistics on vital records you will find hard to come by elsewhere.
Milwaukee County Online Genealogy and Family History Library
A wealth of resources and links for Milwaukee County.
