Chaffee County, Colorado Genealogy

United StatesColoradoChaffee County

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage and land records

Parent County
1861 November 1: Chaffee County was created as an original county on 1 November 1861. It was formally known as Lake County (while Lake County was known as Carbonate County) for a brief period before the name was changed to Chaffee on 10 February 1879.

County Seat: Salida

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Neighboring Counties

 * Fremont
 * Gunnison
 * Lake
 * Park
 * Pitkin
 * Saguache

Census

 * 1885 at FamilySearch.org — index/images

Court Records
Numerous records are available at Colorado Archives. To use this link scroll down the page to where it asks for Record Type. Click there and scroll down the list to the records you want and select. The next field asks for county. Select the county you want and then click on Search. You can narrow the search by adding the additional information it asks for.

Newspapers
Online Newspapers


 * 1881-1894 - Buena Vista Herald online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1883-1892 - Buena Vista Democrat online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1885-1886 - Buena Vista Herald online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1892-1895 - Colorado Democrat online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1895-1926 - Chaffee County Republican online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1902-1922 - Chaffee County Democrat online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1904-1907 - Colorado Republican online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1875 – 1974 Colorado Wills and Probate Records 1875-1974 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Archives
Chaffee County Probates 1878 - 1979 Chaffee County Teacher Certificate Register 1879 - 1889

Family History Centers

 * Salida Colorado Family History Center

Libraries

 * Buena Vista Public Library 131 Linderman Avenue Buena Vista, CO 81211 Phone: (719) 395-8700 Buena Vista Public Library


 * Salida Regional Library 405 E Street Salida, CO 81201 Phone: (719) 539-4826 Salida Regional Libraby

Birth
Birth records may become public records when 100 years have elapsed after the date of birth. EXCEPTION: The birth record of any individual who is known to be currently alive will remain confidential even if they are 100 years of age or greater.

Marriage

 * 1864-1995 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1853-2006 at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1900-1939 Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1859-1900 Colorado Marriages, 1859-1900 at Ancestry.com — index $

Death
Death records may become public records when 75 years have elapsed after the date of death.

Websites

 * Chaffee County Trails To The Past
 * Chaffee County COGenWeb
 * Chaffee County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Chaffee County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)