Dickinson County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Dickinson County was named for Daniel S Dickinson and is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Dickinson County Courthouse 1802 Hill Ave Spirit Lake, IA 51360 Phone: 712-336-1138 Dickinson County Website

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Biographies

 * History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa. 2 volumes. Chicago, IL: The Pioneer Publishing Company, 1917.  Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II -  FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Ancestry ($);.
 * Northwestern Iowa, Its History and Traditions, Comprising the Counties of ...Dickinson. Edited by Arthur Francis Allen. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927.  Online at:  Vol. III  (biographies) -.
 * Dickinson County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

Census Records
State Census
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

Directories

 * Wright, Henrietta Comstock. The Lake Region Blue Book and Club Directory of Spirit Lake and vicinity. Self Printed, Spirit Lake, IA 1906. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($)

Funeral Homes

 * Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home and Crematory in Spirit Lake
 * Turner Jenness Family Funeral Homes in Lake Park, Milford and Spirit Lake

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records
 * 1869-1923   at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1914 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Local Histories

 * A History of Dickinson County, Iowa: Together With an Account of the Spirit Lake Massacre. By R.A. Smith. Des Moines, IA: Kenyon Print. Mfg., 1902.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust;.
 * History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa. 2 volumes. Chicago, IL: The Pioneer Publishing Company, 1917.  Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II -  FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Ancestry ($);.
 * Northwestern Iowa, Its History and Traditions, Comprising the Counties of ...Dickinson. Edited by Arthur Francis Allen. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927.  Online at: Vol. I (history) - ;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Dickinson County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1904-2007 Dickinson County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1893-1949 Fire Insurance Maps for Dickinson County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1884 and 2009.
 * Dickinson County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Dickinson County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Dickinson County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Dickinson County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Cass County for European settlers included:
 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II
 * WWII Enlistments and WWII Honor List of Dead and Missing at USGenWeb Archives

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1872-1935 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1870-1889 Spirit Lake Beacon. Spirit Lake, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1935-1956 Terril Record. Terril, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1937-1957 Milford Mail. 1937-1941, 1943-1957 Milford, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1958-1977 Lake Park News. Lake Park, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1860-1891 (*); Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1861-1986 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1873-1964 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Family History Centers

 * Spencer Iowa Family History Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa Family History Center
 * Brookings Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Waseca County Historical - an affiliate library

Libraries
Arnolds Park Library P.O. Box 556 156 N Highway 71 Arnolds Park, IA 51331-0556 Phone: 712-332-2033 Email: [mailto:staff@arnoldspark.lib.ia.us staff@arnoldspark.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Milford Memorial Library 1009 9th Street Milford, IA 51351 Phone: 712-338-4643 Email: [mailto:info@milford.lib.ia.us info@milford.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Spirit Lake Public Library 702 16th Street Spirit Lake, IA 51360 Phone: 712-336-2667 Email: [mailto:admin@spiritlake.lib.ia.us admin@spiritlake.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Dickinson County Museum P.O. Box 532 1708 Keokuk Ave Spirit Lake, IA 51360-0532 Phone: 712-336-5928 Email: [mailto:dickinsoncountymuseum@gmail.com dickinsoncountymuseum@gmail.com] Website Facebook Higgins Museum 1507 Sanborn Ave Okoboji, IA 51355 Phone: 712-332-5859 Email: [mailto:ladams47@gmail.com ladams47@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Dickinson County Historical Society c/o Dickinson County Museum P.O. Box 532 1708 Keokuk Ave Spirit Lake, IA 51360 Facebook

Websites

 * Dickinson County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Dickinson County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Dickinson County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Dickinson County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * State Historical Society of Iowa — select from research collection topics
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.