El Paso County, Colorado Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named of "the pass," referring to the Ute Pass west of Colorado Springs. The county has Colorado Springs as its seat and the county was created November 1, 1861. The county is located in the central area of the state on the Front Range.

County Courthouse
El Paso County Courthouse 270 S. Tejon Street Colorado Springs, CO 80901 Phone:719-452-5000 El Paso County Website County Clerk has marriage and land records from 1861 and military discharge records from 1919; Clerk District Court has divorce and probate records; County Court has court records

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:

State and Territory Census Records

 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado was included in the 1860 Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories Censuses
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado Territory Census
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch - Index and images
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at Ancestry - ($), Index and images

Federal Census Records
The 1880 Census was the first Federal Census for Colorado after it became a state in 1876. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Colorado Census.
 * 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — index/images

Church Records
Online Church Records Presbyterian Church
 * 1743-1970 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1743-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

Lutheran Church
 * 1937-1986 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Our Savior in Colorado Springs, 1937-1986

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.

1933-1936 El Paso County Old Age Pension Records 1933-1936. An Index compiled from the official record of the applications granted by the El Paso 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

Directories
Online Directories
 * 1897-1988 - U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 at Ancestry - ($), Index and images, Colorado Springs City Directory, various dates
 * 1940 - Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, Cripple Creek and Victor, Drennan, Fountain, Cascade, Chipita Park, Green Mountain Falls, Woodland Park, and Yoder, 1940 Telephone Directory - Residential listings only

Land and Property Records
Current El Paso County, Colorado, property owners may be searched by name or address at the El Paso County Assessor's website.

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
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1862-1908 - Denver Land Office Records, 1862-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index only

Local Histories
Online County Histories
 * History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado. (Includes History of El Paso County, by A. Z. Sheldon.) 1881. Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Online at: Internet Archive;.

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

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Colorado. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Colorado Military Records.

All Veterans
 * Colorado State Archives Veterans Grave Registration Index at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Military - Grave

Civil War
 * Colorado Civil War Casualties Index at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Civil War Casualty
 * 1861-1865 - Colorado State Archives Volunteers Transcript of Record Index (1861-1865) at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Transcript of Record

Spanish-American War (1898)
 * 1898 - Colorado Volunteers in the Spanish American War, 1898 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Span-Am War Soldiers

World War I
 * 1916-1919 - Colorado State Archives Denver War Risk Insurance Applicants, 1916-1919 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, War Risk Insurance
 * 1917-1922 - Colorado State Archives World War I Civilian Service Questionnaires, 1917-1922 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, WWI Questionnaire
 * 1917-1918 - Colorado Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918 at Ancestry.com — ($), index

Vietnam War
 * 1966 & 1968 - Colorado State Archives Vietnam War Casualties - June-December 1966 & January-December 1968 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Vietnam Deaths

For further information see Colorado Military Records.

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


 * Pikes Peak NewsFinder, provided by Pikes Peak Library District's Special Collections, contains citations to local news articles and obituaries from the Colorado Springs Gazette and Gazette-Telegraph from January 1872 to the present and other local newspapers. Free copies of articles are available online from PPLD. Ongoing project with additional sources being indexed.

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

Obituaries
Pikes Peak NewsFinder contains citations to obituaries from the Colorado Springs Gazette and Gazette-Telegraph from January 1872 to the present and other local newspapers, including the Colorado Springs Sun and the Free Press. Free copies of articles are available from PPLD.

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

Vital Records
See also Colorado Vital Records.

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
Online Records
 * 1784-2007 - Colorado, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 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
 * 1984-1991 El Paso County Official Public Records Search, 1 January 1984 to present (includes marriages for 1984 to 1991 period not covered in database below)
 * 1991-Present El Paso County Marriage/Civil Union Records Search, 1 May 1991 to present

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

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

The Colorado State Archives has put a name only Index to the El Paso County Divorce Records for the period 1903 to 1941 on-line.

All divorces and divorce records are handled by the El Paso County Courts, Colorado Judicial District 4. Please contact their office directly at 719 452-5000.

Archives
1880-1969 El Paso County Probates 1892-1942 El Paso County Placer Mine Location Certificates 1903-1941 El Paso County Divorce 1910, 1920 El Paso County School Census Dist.11 (Colo. Spgs.) 1911 El Paso County School Census Dist. 3 1933-1936 El Paso County Old Age Pension 1946-1961 El Paso County Civil District Court

Family History Centers

 * Calhan Colorado Family History Center
 * Colorado Springs Colorado Family History Center
 * Colorado Springs Colorado East Family History Center
 * Colorado Springs Colorado North Family History Center
 * Fountain Colorado Family History Center (Colorado Springs)

Libraries
Pikes Peak Regional Library. Special Collections contains extensive resources for research into the history of the Pikes Peak region, including books, maps, manuscripts and archives, photographs, oral histories, films, government documents, periodicals and much more. Regional-History-and-Genealogy-home Pikes Peak Library District Penrose Library (main) &amp; Special Collections (genealogy, local history) 20 North Cascade Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Telephone: (719) 531-6333 Tutt Library, Special Collections, Colorado College, Colorado Springs  Briargate Library 9475 Briar Village Pt, Ste 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Telephone: (719) 260-6882

Cheyenne Mountain Library 1785 S 8th St, Ste 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Telephone: (719) 633-6278

East Library 5550 N Union Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Telephone: (719) 531-6333

Fountain Library 230 S Main St Fountain, CO 80817 Telephone: (719) 382-5347

High Prairie Library 7035 Old Meridian Rd Peyton, CO 80831 Telephone: 260-3650

Library Express 3337 Cinema Pt Colorado Springs, CO 80922 Unmanned location with a vending machine

Manitou Springs Library 701 Manitou Ave Manitou Springs, CO 80829 Telephone: (719) 685-5206

Monument Library 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr Monument, CO 80132 Telephone: (719) 488-2370

Old Colorado City Library 2418 W Pikes Peak Ave Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Telephone: (719) 634-1698

Palmer Lake Library 66 Lower Glenway Palmer Lake, CO 80133 Telephone: (719) 481-2587

Rockrimmon Library 832 Village Center Dr Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Telephone: (719) 593-8000

Ruth Holley Library 685 N Murray Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80915 Telephone: (719) 597-5377

Sand Creek Library 1821 S Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Telephone: (719) 597-7070

Ute Pass Library 8010 Severy Cascade, CO 80809 Telephone: (719) 684-9342

Security Public Library 715 Aspen Drive Security, CO 80911 Telephone: (719) 391-3191

Museums
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum – “the only institution researching, collecting and interpreting the robust history of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region.”

Websites

 * USGenWeb Archives
 * - 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
 * El Paso County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Pikes Peak Genealogical Society