Houston County, Minnesota
Genealogy, History & Facts

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

Houston County, Minnesota Facts

When was Houston County, MN Created?
Houston County was founded on April 4, 1854 from Fillmore County.

What is the County Seat of Houston County, MN?
The County Seat is located in Caledonia and the county government website is http://www.co.houston.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Houston County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Winona County, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, Vernon County, Wisconsin, Allamakee County, Iowa, Winneshiek County, Iowa, Fillmore County.

Houston County, MN Vital Records

Where can find Houston County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Houston County vital records can be found at the Minnesota Office of Vital Records which has copies of birth resords from 1900 and death records from 1908. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Minnesota for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Houston County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Minnesota Birth Certificate and Death Certificates Applications to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• Minnesota, Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980
• Minnesota, County Birth Records, 1863-1983
• Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002
• Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950
• Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995
• Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2002
• Minnesota, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990

Houston County, MN Census Records

What Houston County, MN census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Houston County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Houston Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Houston Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Houston Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890.

Houston Co. territorial and state censuses exist for the years 1849-1905.. There is free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Minnesota Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Minnesota Census, 1835-90
• Houston County, MN Census Records Link
• Houston County, MN Census QuickFacts

Houston County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Houston County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Houston County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Houston County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Minnesota courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Minnesota 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 Houston 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 Minnesota Corthouse Records Research Guide.

• Houston County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 304 S. Marshall Street, Caledonia , MN 55921
  • Phone: (507) 725-5806
• Houston County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1854
  • Land Records: 1856
• Houston County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1867
  • Court Records: 1857
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Houston County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

•  Houston County Historical Society, 104 History Ln, Caledonia MN 55921-1746; (507) 725-3884
• La Crescent Area Historical Society, 171 Skunk Hollow Road, La Crescent, MN 55947
• Minnesota Historical Society Research Center, 1500 Mississippi Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, (612) 296-6980
• Minnesota State Archives, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3260
• Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N. Suite 218, South St. Paul, MN 55075-1187
• Minnesota Historical Society, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 . 651-259-3000

Where can I connect with other Houston County, MN Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Minnesota Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
• Minnesota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Houston County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Houston County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Houston County, MN?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Houston County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a fee. This is simply a list which has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Houston Co. MN Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Minnesota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Minnesota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Minnesota (1849 – 1922) (genealogybank.com)
• Houston County, Minnesota Books (amazon.com)
• Search Minnesota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Houston County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Houston Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

• Minnesota Cemetery Research Guide
• Houston Co., Minnesota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Houston County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties  (search.ancestry.com)
• Houston Co., Minnesota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Houston Co., Minnesota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Minnesota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Houston County, Minnesota Church Books (amazon.com)

Houston Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Houston Co. MN General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Minnesota
• Houston County, Minnesota Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Houston County, Minnesota Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Houston Co. MN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Houston County, Minnesota (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Minnesota – Counties – Houston (cyndislist.com)
• Houston County Minnesota (genealogytrails.com)
• Houston Co. MNGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Houston County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Houston Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Houston Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Minnesota
• Minnesota Naturalization Records Index, 1854-1957  (search.ancestry.com)

Houston Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Minnesota Links and Information
• 1895 Houston County Map (livgenmi.com)
• Houston County D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps

Houston Co. MN Military Records

• Minnesota Military Records Research Guide
• Minnesota, Civil War Records, 1861-1865  (search.ancestry.com)
• Minnesota Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Minnesota men and women who served. Suitable for Houston County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.