Genealogy and local history
Research family and local history with resources highlighting Minneapolis and Hennepin County, including digital collections, archival collections and web archives.
On Monday, September 1 (Labor Day), Hennepin County libraries are closed.
Minneapolis and Hennepin County Collection
One of the area's best local history resources, the collection covers all aspects of the history of Minneapolis and Hennepin County and includes books, photographs, school yearbooks, archival and manuscript collections, periodicals, maps, and thousands of files of newspaper clippings.
Resources are available for use in Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library and many have been digitized and are available online.
Books
Browse thousands of books in the Minneapolis History Collection in the catalog. Books cover all topics related to local history with strengths in city and county planning documents, neighborhood history, and local cookbooks.
Digital collections
Thousands of items, including photographs, yearbooks, maps, postcards and more, have been digitized and are available online to search, browse and download.
Archival collections
Archival collections include unique historical materials like meeting minutes, correspondence, financial records, photographs, digital files, video recordings, memorabilia, and websites. Detailed inventories, called finding aids, describe archival collections with historical information and context.
Web archives
View websites as they appeared in the past, including the library website and selected local websites from governments, non-profit organizations, arts and cultural institutions, and more, beginning in 2020.
Hennepin County yearbook collection
The collection includes hundreds of yearbooks for public and private schools, colleges and academies in Hennepin County. Yearbooks published before 1989 are available digitally.
Researching homes, buildings and neighborhoods
Learn about the many resources available to research the history of your home, property, business or neighborhood.
Resources for researching the history of homes, buildings and neighborhoods
Online resources
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1/1/1986 to present
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Ancestry Library Edition
Available only in a library. Genealogy collections including census records, passenger lists, vital, court, church, and military records, newspapers, directories, stories, photos, and maps.
FamilySearch
FamilySearch affiliate library access available only in a library. Explore one of the world's largest genealogy collections. Use the Hennepin County Library Affiliate access to gain access to restricted historical collections not available through home access. Set up of free FamilySearch personal account required to use.
Fold3 Library Edition by Ancestry
Military records including the stories, photos, and personal documents of those who served.
Gale Genealogy Connect
Features hundreds of fully searchable genealogy and history reference eBooks covering research guides, immigration, colonial and Native American ancestry and more.
HeritageQuest Online
Comprehensive collection of genealogical and local history resources dating back to the 1700s including unique primary sources, family and local histories, research guides, interactive census maps and more.
City Directory Collection
Digitized images of the Edina City Directory, 1941-1977; Hopkins City Directory, 1942-1977; Minneapolis City Directory, 1859-1950; St. Louis Park City Directory, 1933-1977. City directories list residents with their occupations, places of employment and spouses. Local businesses are listed by name and subject category, and directories are searchable by name or address.
Digital Sanborn Maps (Minnesota)
Fire insurance maps for Minnesota counties and cities from 1867-1970.
Hennepin County Library Archival Collections
Archival collections include unique historical materials like meeting minutes, correspondence, financial records, photographs, digital files, video recordings, memorabilia, and websites. Detailed inventories, called finding aids, describe archival collections with historical information and context. The physical collections are located in Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library.
Hennepin County Library Digital Collections
Thousands of items related to Hennepin County and Minneapolis history are available to search, browse and download.
Hennepin County Library Web Archives
View websites as they appeared in the past, including the library website and selected local websites from governments, non-profit organizations, arts and cultural institutions, and more, beginning in 2020.
Minnesota Digital Library
Images, maps and documents from historical societies, libraries, archives, and cultural organizations across Minnesota, including Hennepin County Library's Special Collections.
Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub
The Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub is a searchable website from the Minnesota Historical Society that makes millions of pages of Minnesota newspapers available online. The Hub contains geographically and culturally diverse newspapers published between 1849 and today.
Star Tribune
Full-text articles from Minneapolis, Minnesota newspaper, including Minneapolis Star and Tribune and all three local editions: Minneapolis, Metro, and St. Paul.
1/1/2008 to 3 months ago1/1/1986 to present
Star Tribune Archive by Newspapers.com
Available only in a library. Full-page images of newspapers owned by Star Tribune, including City Pages, from 1867 to one month ago.
