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Illinois Archives, Libraries, Historical & Genealogical Societies

It is wise to acquaint yourself with any repository in Illinois which you might visit by writing to the appropriate archive or library in advance.Most, if not all, Illinois repositories have published materials that introduce its collections and research policy.

Illinois archives and historical agencies also have Internet sites that provide the same information. Some even have downloadable databases for some or parts of their collections.

Illinois Archives

  • Illinois State Archives, Norton Building, Capitol Complex,
    Springfield, IL 62756; TELEPHONE: (217) 782-4682, Fax: (217) 524-3930; HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Illinois Regional Archives Depository [IRAD] – IRAD Coordinator, Illinois State Archives, Archives Building, Spring and Edwards, Springfield, IL 62756; As part of the state archives system, seven regional depositories at state universities include archival material from 102 counties. Located on seven state university campuses, regional depositories house and service those records of local governments which have been appraised as having long-term values and have been transferred to the Archives’ custody. County records include:
    • county board proceedings files and meeting minutes
    • records of births, deaths and marriages
    • land deeds, mortgage and tax sale records
    • assessors’ and collectors’ tax books
    • poll books and voter registers
    • naturalization records, including declarations of intent
    • probate records, including wills and will records, case files, administrators’ and executors’ records, guardianship records, and inventory and appraisement records
    • civil and criminal court case files, chancery court case files (including divorces) , docket books and court proceedings, and insanity proceedings and records
    • coroner’s inquest records and inquest files
    • miscellaneous county records, including almshouse/county home records and jail registers.

Township, municipal, and school records include township meeting minutes, highway commissioners’ minutes, school trustees’ minutes, pupil registers, school land sale records, city council proceedings files and meeting minutes, ordinance records and city election records. A special part of IRAD’s holdings are from the City of Chicago which includes nearly 35,650 previously unknown documents that predate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In addition to these City Council proceedings files of 1833 through 1942, holdings include plats, atlases, and Sanborn Maps. Other Chicago records include election registers for 1888, 1890 and 1892 and ordinance records spanning 1837 to 1916.

  • Eastern Illinois University, Booth Library, 600 Lincoln Ave, Charleston, IL 61920; (217) 581-6093, Counties served: Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence, Moultrie, Richland, Shelby, Wabash, Wayne
  • Illinois State University, Campus Box 5500, Normal, IL 61790-5500; (309) 452-6027

    Counties: Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McLean, Piatt, Tazewell, Vermilion, Woodford

  • Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625-4699; (773) 442-4506, Counties served: Cook
  • Northern Illinois University, Founders Memorial Library, Rm 400, DeKalb, IL 60115; (815) 753-1807; Counties served: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, DuPage, JoDaviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago
  • Southern Illinois University, c/o Special Collections, Morris Library–6632, Carbondale, IL 62901; (309) 298-2716; Counties served: Alexander, Clinton, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Washington, White, Williamson
  • University of Illinois at Springfield, P. O. Box  19243, Springfield, IL 62794 ; (217) 786-6520; Counties served: Bond, Cass, Christian, Fayette, Greene, Jersey, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon, Scott
  • Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390; (309) 298-2716; Counties served: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Pike, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Warren

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Illinois Museums

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Illinois Libraries

  • Illinois State Library, 300 South 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62701-1796; Phone: (217) 785-5600

    As the head of the public library system in the state, the library publishes Illinois Libraries, which frequently includes articles of genealogical interest. The library is the repository for federal and state documents; it holds all county histories and offers some research materials on interlibrary loan.

  • Illinois State Historical Library, Old State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62701

    County histories, plat books, census indexes, cemetery indexes, city material, family and association files, microfilmed newspapers, manuscripts, and photographs are located beneath the restored old state capitol between 5th and 6th streets and Washington and Adams streets.

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Illinois Historical & Genealogical Societies

For almost every state there is a state genealogical society, a state genealogical council, or both. In addition to their own work, state-level groups sometimes help coordinate the efforts of local societies within the state. Their publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those produced by the local societies.

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