Cook County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Cook County, Minnesota ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Michael Cook, Territorial and State Senator. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

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.

Parent County

 * 1874--Cook County was created 3 November 1874 from Lake County. County seat: Grand Marais
 * 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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Cities
Grand Marais

Townships
Lutsen Township | Schroeder Township | Tofte Township

Unincorporated Communities
Hovland

Unorganized
East Cook | Grand Portage | West Cook

Neighboring Counties

 * Lake

Census
State Census
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 - at FamilySearch— index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1801 - 1999 Minnesota Wills and Probate Records 1801-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1860 - 1949 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1850-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Cook County Historical Society PO Box 1293 Grand Marais 55604-1293 Telephone: 218 387-2883 Website

Johnson Heritage Post PO Box 35 Grand Marais MN 55604-0035 Telephone: 218 387-2314 or 218 388-0575

North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum & Tofte Historical Society PO Box 2312 Tofte MN 55615-2312 Telephone: 218 663-7804 Website

Schroeder Area Historical Society PO Box 337 7932 West Highway 61 Schroeder MN Telephone: 218 663-770

See also a List of Minnesota Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * 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)
 * Cook County GenWeb
 * Cyndi's List: Cook County
 * Cyndi's List: Cook County