Boulder County, Colorado Genealogy

Guide to Boulder County, Colorado genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

United StatesColoradoBoulder County

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County Recorder
County recorder has marriage records from 1863, land records from 1864 and military discharge records from 1917; County Health Department has birth and death records records from 1872. County Court has probate, divorce and court records.

Boulder Clerk Recorder's Office 1750 33rd Street, Suite 201 Boulder, CO 80301           (303) 413-7770

History
Boulder County, Colorado was organized when the Colorado territory was formed. Prior to that, the area was Jackson county in the unrecognized territory of Jefferson that existed from October 24, 1859 until the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861 The early settlers mostly came for the Colorado gold rush in 1858.

Parent County
1 November 1861: Boulder County was created 1 November 1861 as an original county. County seat: Boulder

Neighboring Counties

 * Broomfield
 * Gilpin
 * Grand
 * Jefferson
 * Larimer
 * Weld

Unpopulated Places
Caribou, Colorado was an important silver mining town. Famed at the time for being the coldest, snowiest, windiest town, at 10,000 feet elevation it was not an easy place to live. The Silver Crash of 1893 meant that it was less profitable. Incorporated as a town in 1871, Caribou had peak population of 549 in the 1880 census, and became a ghost town by the 1920s.

Many mining communities have formed and disbanded in this area, including Wall Street, Tungsten, Summerville, Rowena, Marshall and Magnolia.

Cemeteries
Columbia Cemetery, 1201 9th Street, Boulder, CO 80302 (also called Pioneer, Masonic, City, Park, Boulder, and Old Cemetery) http://www.bouldergenealogy.org/bgs/cemeteries/columbia/columbia_intro.html

Green Mountain Cemetery, 290 20th Street, Boulder CO 80302 303 444-5695 http://www.bouldergenealogy.org/bgs/cemeteries/greenmnt/GMC_intro.htm

Census
The first U.S. federal census that included the Boulder county area was part of the 1860 Nebraska territorial census. Transcribed records from that census are available here:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/ne/state/1860cens.htm#colorado60

U. S. federal census records began for Colorado in 1870 and continue every ten years to the present.

Lutheran

 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Broomfield, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records
Boulder County Mothers' Compensation Records 1914-1934. An Index compiled from the offical record of the applications granted by the Boulder County Commissioners during these years. Record may show the following:


 * Name of Applicant
 * Date and Amount of Compensation payment
 * Any adjustments to the pension
 * Person's age
 * Town nearest to where they lived
 * Other Actions done by the County.

Boulder County Old Age Pension Records 1933-1936. An Index compiled from the offcial record of the applications granted by the Boulder County Commissioners during these years. Record may show the following:


 * Name of Applicant
 * Date and Amount of pension payment
 * Any adjustments to the pension
 * Person's age
 * Town nearest to where they lived
 * Other Actions done by the County

Local History and Biographies
Some local histories available are these:  Boulder County: an illustrated history / by Thomas J. Noel and Dan W. Corson. Carlsbad, Calif. ; Heritage Media Corp., c1999.

Ghosts of Boulder County : a guide to the ghost towns and mining camps of Boulder County, Colorado / written and photographed by John K. Aldrich. Lakewood, Colo. (5815 W. 6th St., Bldg. 2, Suite. A, Lakewood 80214) : Centennial Graphics, c1986

A guide to the greater St. Vrain Valley. Compass Communications, 1975- Boulder County (Colorado) area key : a study of the genealogical record sources of Boulder County, Colorado, including maps, history, addresses / compiled by Florence Runyan Clint. Denver, CO : Eden Press, c1969.

Land and Property
Boulder County Recording Division (303) 413-7770 and fax (303) 413-7775 email: recording@bouldercounty.org

Maps
Boulder County has numerous maps available online here:

https://bouldercolorado.gov/maps

Newspapers
Microfilm of old newspapers is available at the Boulder Public Library and at the Longmont Public Library. The Longmont collection includes issues from 1872 to the present. See Longmont Newspapers

Online Newspapers


 * 1869 - Boulder County Pioneer online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1869-1878 - Boulder County News online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1871 - Burlington Free Press online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1872-1882 - Longmont Press online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1875-1877 - Colorado Banner online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1878 - Boulder County Courier online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1879-1883 - Boulder News and Courier online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1888 - Longmont Times online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1891-1894 - Boulder Daily Camera online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1896 - Daily Times, Longmont, online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1897-1898 - Longmont Ledger online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1900-1901 - Lyons Recorder online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.

Probate
The Colorado State Archives has a searchable database for county probate records. Boulder County records for the years 1862 to 1900 can be found in this index. https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/archives/probate-records.

The probate holdings in the state archives for Boulder County include the years 1852 to 2004.

Taxation
Boulder County Inheritance Tax Records Index (1941-1943) is one of many On-Line Indexes available at the Colorado State Archives website.

Vital Records
See also the Colorado State Archives, Historical Records Index.

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.

Boulder County Public Health can issue certified birth certificates for births occurring anywhere in Colorado from 1904 to present day. They only issue certified copies of birth certificates.

Only the person named on the record or members of the immediate family, legal representatives of those named above, or others demonstrating a direct and tangible interest in the record may request a copy if the birth occurred within the last 100 years as stated above. Proof of your relationship or direct and tangible interest is required.

Birth &amp; Death Certificates

Boulder: (303) 441-1100 Longmont: (303) 678-6166

Marriage
The Boulder County Recorder's office will search their indexes if you call or come in to the office. If a record is found, a copy can be purchased in person or by mail. Call (303) 413-7770 and press 0 to speak to a clerk.

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

Certified copies of death certificates may be issued to: parents; grandparents; stepparents; siblings; spouse; adult children, stepchildren, or grandchildren of the deceased; legal representatives of any of the above; legal representatives of the deceased; probate researchers; genealogists representing family members with appropriate credentials; others who may demonstrate a direct and tangible interest when information is needed for determination or protection of a personal property right. Proof of your relationship or direct and tangible interest is required.

Divorce
Boulder County divorces take place in Colorado’s 20th Judicial District. To obtain copies of divorce records there are fees for searching and for copies.

Boulder County Combined Courts Research Department (303) 441-4860 http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/District/Index.cfm?District_ID=20

The Colorado State Archives has put a name only index to the Boulder County Divorce Records for the period 5/14/1904 to 4/22/1912 on-line.

The Colorado State Archives also has the divorce records for Boulder County from 1964 to 1995. To obtain these records, you need the case number and can get it from the Boulder County Combined Courts. Then go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/archives/boulder-divorce

Societies

 * Boulder Genealogical Society P.O. Box 3246 Boulder, CO 80307-3246 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bgs/index.html


 * Longmont Genealogical Society P.O. Box 6081 Longmont, CO 80501-2077 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~colgs/index.htm#top


 * St. Vrain Historical Society P.O. Box 705 Longmont, Colorado 80502-0705 Telephone: 303-776-1870 http://www.stvrainhistoricalsociety.org/


 * Broomfield Genealogy Society Broomfield, CO http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cobgs/

Libraries

 * Boulder Public Library 1000 Canyon Blvd Boulder, CO 80302 Phone: (303) 441-3100 boulderlibrary.org/


 * Lafayette Public Library 775 W Baseline Rd Lafayette, CO 80026 Phone: (303) 665-5200 www.cityoflafayette.com/SectionIndex.asp


 * Longmont Public Library 409 4th Ave Longmont, CO 80501 www.ci.longmont.co.us/library/index.htm


 * Louisville Public Library 951 Spruce Street Louisville, CO 80027 Phone: (303) 335-4849 www.louisville-library.org/


 * Lyons Depot Library 430 Fifth Avenue Lyons, CO 80540 Phone: (303) 823-5165 www.townoflyons.com/index.php


 * Nederland Community Library 750 N. Highway 72 Nederland, CO 80466 Phone: (303) 258-1101 nederland.colibraries.org/

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Boulder Colorado Family History Center
 * Longmont Colorado Family History Center

Websites

 * Boulder County COGenWeb
 * Boulder County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Boulder County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)