La Plata County, Colorado
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

La Plata County, Colorado Facts

When was La Plata County, CO Created?
La Plata County was established on February 10, 1874 from Lake County and Conejos County.

What is the County Seat of La Plata County, CO?
The County Seat is located in Durango and the county government website is http://www.co.laplata.co.us/

What counties are adjacent to La Plata County, CO?
Bordering Counties are San Juan County, Hinsdale County, Archuletal County, San Juan County, New Mexico, Montezuma County, Dolores County.

La Plata County, CO Vital Records

Where can find La Plata County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
La Plata County vital records can be found at the Colorado Office of Vital Records which has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Colorado for current fees and application process.

You can search online for La Plata County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Colorado Birth Certificate, Marriage Verification, Divorce Verification, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

La Plata County, CO Census Records

What La Plata County, CO census records are available?
There are many types of census records for La Plata County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

La Plata Co. Mortality Schedules can be acquired for 1880. La Plata Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules is available for 1880. La Plata Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free online and printable census forms to aid with your research.

La Plata County, CO Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for La Plata County, CO?
A list of La Plata County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Colorado Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Colorado Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• Colorado State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Four Corners Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 2636, Durango CO 81302
• Genealogical Research Society Of Durango, 2720 Delwood, Durango CO 81301
• La Plata County Historical Society & The Animas Museum, P.O. Box 3384, 3065 West 2nd Ave., Durango, CO 81301-4209; (970) 259-2402
• La Plata County, Colorado Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• La Plata County, Colorado Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for La Plata County (usgwarchives.net)

La Plata County, CO Courthouse and Government Records

La Plata County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the La Plata County Courthouse?

Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of La Plata County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Colorado courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Colorado residents.

The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the La Plata County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Colorado Corthouse Records Research Guide.

• La Plata County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 1060 E 2nd Ave, Durango, CO 81301
  • Phone: (970) 385-0240
• La Plata County Clerk & Recorder
  • Marriage Records: 1880;  early marriages in San Juan County clerk and recorder’s office.
  • Land Records: 1874?
• La Plata County Clerk of Courts
  • Probate Records: 1874?
  • Court Records: 1874?
• San Juan Basin Health Department
  • Birth / Death Records: 1895–1918; Vital statistics registrar, City Hall, Durango; also clerk and recorder’s office 1900–12

Where can I connect with other La Plata County, CO Researchers through message boards and forums?

What other genealogical resources are available in La Plata County, CO?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to La Plata County.

La Plata Co. CO Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Colorado Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Colorado historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Colorado (1859–1978) (genealogybank.com)
• La Plata County, Colorado Books (amazon.com)
• Search Colorado Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• La Plata County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

La Plata Co. CO Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• Colorado Divorce Records, Various Sources 1851 – 2004 (archives.com) Various Public Records Sources
• Colorado Marriage Records 1975 – 2004 (archives.com) Colorado State Public Record Offices
• Colorado, Statewide Divorce Index, 1900-1939 (familysearch.org) Colorado Department of Health card index of divorces in Colorado from 1900-1939. The index is arranged in alphabetical order.
• Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 (familysearch.org) Card index created by the Division of Vital Statistics, Department of Health in Colorado. The index is arranged alphabetically by groom’s name providing county, names of husband and wife, age, race, date and place of marriage, certificate number.

La Plata Co. CO Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

La Plata Co. CO Census Records

• La Plata County, CO Census Records Links
• Colorado, State Census, 1885 (familysearch.org)
• Navajo Springs, Colorado Ute Census, 1904-08  (search.ancestry.com) Established in 1892, the Fort Lewis Indian School, located just 14 miles south and west of Durango, Colorado, operated for 18 years before being closed by the Federal Government in 1910. This database is a collection of records prepared by the school superintendents between 1904 and 1908. Each record reveals the individual’s Native American and English name along with information regarding sex, age and relationship to the head of household. With nearly 3400 entries, this can be a great aid to researchers of Native American ancestors.
• La Plata County, CO Census QuickFacts

La Plata Co. CO Cemeteries & Church Records

• La Plata Co., Colorado Graves (findagrave.com)
• La Plata County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• La Plata Co., Colorado Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• La Plata Co., Colorado Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• La Plata County, Colorado Church Books (amazon.com)

La Plata Co. CO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  Colorado Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

La Plata Co. CO General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Colorado
• La Plata County, Colorado Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• La Plata County, Colorado Wiki (familysearch.org)
• La Plata Co. CO Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• La Plata County, Colorado (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Colorado – Counties – La Plata (cyndislist.com)
• La Plata County Colorado (genealogytrails.com)
• La Plata Co. COGenweb (cogenweb.com)
• La Plata County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• La Plata Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

La Plata Co. CO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Colorado Links and Information
• La Plata County D.O.T. Road and Highway Map (dtdapps.coloradodot.info)
• 1895 La Plata County Map (livgenmi.com)

La Plata Co. CO Military Records

• Colorado Military Records Research Guide
• Colorado Military Records (fold3.com) offers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Colorado men and women who served. Perfect for La Plata County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.

La Plata Co. CO Schools & Directories

• Colorado City Directories  (search.ancestry.com) This database is a collection of city directories for various years and cities in Colorado. Generally a city directory will contain an alphabetical list of its citizens, listing the names of the heads of households, their addresses, and occupational information. Sometimes the wife’s name will be listed in parentheses or italics following the husband’s. Often, dates of deaths of individuals listed in the previous year’s directory are listed as well as the names of partners of firms, and when possible, the forwarding addresses or post offices of people who moved to another town. In addition to the alphabetical portion, a city directory may also contain a business directory, street directory, governmental directory, and listings of town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, and other miscellaneous matters of general and local interest.
• The Colorado state business directory: 1876, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1887-8, 1889, 1890, 1894, 1896, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1920, 1921, 1923  (search.ancestry.com)