Iowa Archives and Libraries

Archives and libraries often have maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids. They frequently have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids, such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state.

The following organizations have major collections or services for genealogical researchers:

Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center
Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center 3440 S. Lee's Summit Road Independence, MO 64055-1923 Telephone: 816-252-7228 E-mail: [mailto:ge@mcpl.lib.mo.us ge@mcpl.lib.mo.us] Website: Midwest Genealogy Center


 * One of America's most complete genealogical centers: censuses and indexes, 80,000 family histories, 100,000 local histories, 565,000 microfilms, 7,000 maps, and newspapers. Surrounding states like Iowa are well represented.

National Archives at Kansas City, Missouri
National Archives at Kansas City, Missouri 400 West Pershing Road Kansas City, MO 64108 Telephone: 816-268-8000 E-mail: [mailto:kansascity.archives@nara.gov kansascity.archives@nara.gov] Website: NARA Kansas City


 * The National Archives at Kansas City, Missouri has the records of regional federal courts and offices for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, including:


 * Federal naturalization records including A-files
 * Bureau of Indian Affairs and other American Indian records
 * Copies of federal census, military, and immigration records

Newberry Library
Newberry Library 60 West Waltron Street Chicago, IL 60610 Telephone: 312-255-3512 Email: [mailto:genealogy@newberry.org reference@newberry.org.] Website: Newberry Library


 * A large Chicago repository with genealogies, local histories, censuses, military, land, indexes, vital records, court, and tax records some from Iowa, the Mississippi Valley, eastern seaboard, Canada, and the British Isles. They have over 17,000 printed genealogies. The collection is noteworthy for its colonial America, especially New England holdings. They have church, town, and county histories from all parts of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. This includes a comprehensive set of New England town histories, and strong collection of county histories from the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Their Civil War unit histories collection is one of the best. This library has research guides on various subjects related to genealogy and library holdings cataloged from 1978. See


 * Genealogy Collection Guides and Research Tools for more information about the collections.  
 * A surname index to genealogical periodicals and local history books in the Newberry Library was completed in 1915 and published as The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library Since this index is old, be sure to use the online guide sheet to this collection before using the source.

State Historical Society of Iowa
The State Historical Society of Iowa, formerly known as Iowa Historical Society or Iowa State Department of History and Archives has two centers. One is in Des Moines, the other in Iowa City. The Centers have many similar collections, and they share a website and a catalog. The centers are:


 * Des Moines Center


 * Library and Archives 600 East Locust Des Moines, Iowa, 50319 Telephone: 515-281-6200 (Library) Website:  State Historical Society


 * Biggest collection of county records on microfilm, including book, manuscripts, and periodicals—the starting place for Iowa genealogists.


 * Iowa City Center


 * Centennial Building State Historical Society of Iowa (Iowa City) 402 Iowa Avenue Iowa City, Iowa, 52240-1806 Telephone: 319-335-3916 (Library) Website:  State Historical Society


 * Not a repeat of Des Moines—this is an outstanding set of records for genealogists. The Special Collections rooms of the facilities include manuscript records of the state, government records, photographs, newspapers, and more. They also have family histories in book and manuscript form.


 * The State Archives of Iowa contains records of enduring value created or collected by Iowa state agencies. These materials document all facets of the state’s history. The following are some groups of state and local government records which may be of particular interest for family historians:


 * General history books for Iowa and other states; city directories; plat maps; cemetery surveys; biographies and memoirs; school yearbooks; selected government documents; and extensive genealogy resources are available in the libraries; periodicals.
 * Photo Collections - about a half million from daguerreotype to digital. A webpage has been created on the Flickr's photo-sharing site to showcase some representative portions of the holding.
 * Newspapers from hundreds of communities from all of Iowa’s 99 counties from 1836 to the present. The collection features several foreign language and special interest newspapers published in Iowa.
 * County government records: including marriage, birth and death records, naturalization papers and land deeds. Microfilm copies of many of these county records are available in the libraries’ reading rooms.
 * Manuscript, Audio-Visual and Map Collections: including collections of personal papers; records of organizations an extensive photograph collections; and maps. Census materials. Both state and federal from 1840 through 1930. Special schedules: Mortality, agricultural, industrial, and social census records for selected years.
 * Digital Collections: Maps, children's diaries, photographs, and more.


 * Publications of State Historical Society of Iowa


 * Annuls of Iowa
 * Iowa Historical Record 
 * Iowa Journal of History
 * Palimpsest

Iowa Genealogical Society
Iowa Genealogical Society 628 E. Grand Des Moines, IA 50309 Telephone: 515-276-0287 E-mail: [mailto:igs@iowagenealogy.org igs@iowagenealogy.org] Website: Iowa Genealogical Society


 * Many of the works found here are cannot be found anywhere else, including published genealogies, periodicals, histories, county indexes and unpublished family histories. This is one of the largest societies in America with important publications of indexes, abstracts, and county records from all over Iowa. They have also collected material from states contributing to Iowa's population such as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, and New England.


 * To learn more about the history and record-keeping systems of Iowa counties, use the 11 inventories of county archives published by the Historical Records Survey from 1938 to 1942. They are available for Carroll, Cherokee, Dallas, Dubuque, Ida, Jasper, Montgomery, Polk, Sac, Taylor, and Woodbury Counties. The Family History Library has all of these, except for Carroll and Sac counties. Historical Records Survey (Iowa)

State Library of Iowa
State Library of Iowa Ola Babcock Miller Building 1112 E. Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50319-0233 Phone: (515)281-4105 1-800-248-4483 Fax: (515)281-6191 Website: State Library Iowa Digital Archives


 * They have the largest collection of books and periodicals in Iowa, including county histories, and biographies.


 * But from their website: Genealogy Information: Iowa Library Services does not have genealogy materials.
 * Iowa Digital Library prestents: Civil War Diaries and Letters, Special Collections and University of Iowa Libraries.

Burlington Public Library
Burlington Public Library 210 Court Street Burlington, IA 52601-1647 Phone: (319)753-1647 Fax: (319)753-5316 E-mail: Ask a Librarian Website: Burlington Public Library


 * This is a good solid regional genealogical resource library including sources related to the migration of Germans, Dutch, and French. Located on the Mississippi River, they have many river boat, and river traffic related sources.

Davenport Public Library
Davenport Public Library 321 Main Street Davenport, Iowa 52801 Phone: 563-326-7832 Fax: 563-326-7809 TDD/TTY: 563-326-7843 Special Collections 563-326-7902 E-mail: Ask a Librarian Website: Richardson Sloane Special Collections


 * The Davenport Public Library has the following databases on line, by clicking on Local databases:


 * Obituaries
 * Scott County Marriage Certificates: Index, pre 1836-c1925
 * Marriage Announcement Index
 * Gazette (Davenport Daily Gazette:
 * 1856 Census
 * 1885 Census
 * 1925 Iowa State Census
 * Civil War Enlistments
 * Mortality Schedule Index

Fort Madison Public Library
1920 Avenue E Fort Madison, IA 52627 Ph: (319) 372-5721 Fax: (319) 372-5726 Website


 * This little rural library has a regional-size genealogy collection including books, manuscripts, surname folders, pedigree charts, special name indexes, and genealogical periodicals. This is a good all-around genealogical facility.

Grout Museum of History and Science Library
Grout Museum District 503 South St. Waterloo, IA 50701 Phone:319-234-6357 [mailto:info@gmdistrict.org/ Emai]


 * This huge library is also a resource for genealogists with ancestors who lived beyond the borders of just Iowa. They have a very large family folder collection, guides and indexes to cemeteries, and county histories.

Iowa State University Library

 * Huge book collection including many county histories. They also have a great newspaper archives and good map collection.

Marshalltown Public Library

 * They have a good regional genealogy section and DAR collection of printed genealogies, periodicals, newspaper archives, and family folders with coverage beyond Iowa's borders.

University of Iowa Main Library

 * They are strong on rare books, manuscripts, histories, oral histories, and have one of the largest German language book collections in America. They also have very large book, and periodical collections, with good newspapers, and ethnic resources.

For Further Reading

 * List of other Iowa Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies.
 * A 1978 project by the Iowa State Historical Society created inventories for 13 additional counties. The Family History Library has copies of these inventories for Allamakee, Dubuque, Franklin, Iowa, Osceola, and Ringgold Counties.
 * To find other archives and libraries with collections of Iowa records, look in the directories and information listed in the Archives and Libraries and Iowa Societies.
 * Inventories of archives and library collections can be found by using the Places  search of the FamilySearch Catalog to find more records under:


 * United States, Iowa - Archives and Libraries
 * United States, Iowa, [County] - Archives and Libraries