Hinsdale County, Colorado Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Hinsdale County Courthouse 317 N Henson Street Lake City, CO 81235-0277 Phone: 970.944.2228 Hinsdale County Website County Clerk has marriage and land records from 1875 County Court has divorce, probate and court records.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Hinsdale County, Colorado:

State and Territory Census Records

 * 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch - Index and images
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at Ancestry - ($), Index and images

Federal Census Records
In 1860, present-day Colorado was enumerated in the Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories. Colorado Territory was created in 1861 and was enumerated as such in the 1870 Census. The 1880 Census was the first federal census after Colorado became a state in 1876. For links to Federal census indexes, see Colorado Census

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.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records

For more information see Colorado Land and Property
 * Colorado DPA Land Records - Index only; Choose Record Type, and search either "Land Patents" or "Land Records."
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861-1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1862-1908 - Denver Land Office Records, 1862-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index only

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Colorado - shows boundary changes for Colorado Counties
 * Colorado Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Records
 * 1868-1990 - Colorado, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1868-1990 at Ancestry ($); Index and images
 * 1876-1990 - at FamilySearch - Browseable images only; District Court records

Newspapers
Colorado Newspapers Online
 * Colorado Online Historical Newspapers online - in the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection by the Colorado State Library
 * Colorado Newspapers at Ancestry.com - ($)
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Colorado newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Colorado newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Colorado newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites

Colorado Newspaper Catalogs
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

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

Marriage
Online Records
 * 1809-2011 - Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
 * 1853-2006 - at FamilySearch.org - Index and images
 * 1862-2006 - Colorado, County Marriages and State Indexes, 1862-2006 at Ancestry ($), Index and images
 * 1864-1995 - at FamilySearch - Index and images
 * 1900-1939 - Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com - ($); Browseable images of original index

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1851-1985 Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985 at Ancestry - ($); Index only
 * 1900-1939 - at FamilySearch - Browseable images of original index

Family History Centers

 * Silverton Colorado Family History Center
 * Montrose Colorado Family History Center

Libraries
Hinsdale Library District/Lake City 221 Silver Street Lake City, CO 81235 Telephone: 970-944-2615 Hinsdale Library Dist./Lake City website

Societies
Hinsdale County Historical Society Post Office Box 353 130 North Silver Street Lake City, CO 81235 Telelphone: 970-944-2050 E-mail:[mailto:info@lakecitymuseum.com info@lakecitymuseum.com] Website

Hinsdale County Historical Society 312 Silver St. Lake City 81235