Douglas County, Wisconsin
Genealogy, History & Facts

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

Douglas County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Douglas County, WI Created?
Douglas County was created on February 9, 1854 from La Pointe County.

What is the County Seat of Douglas County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Superior and the county government website is www.douglascountywi.org/

What counties are adjacent to Douglas County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Bayfield County, Sawyer County, Washburn County, Burnett County, Pine County, Minnesota, Carlton County, Minnesota, St. Louis County, Minnesota.

Douglas County, WI Vital Records

Where can find Douglas County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Douglas County vital records can be found at the Wisconsin Office of Vital Records has copies of Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Records reported since 1907. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Wisconsin for current fees and application process..

You can search online for Douglas County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Wisconsin Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• USGenweb Archives Wisconsin Marriage Project
• Earliest Registration Dates by County
• Pre-1907 Birth Index
• Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
• Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984
• Wisconsin Marriage Index 1852-1907
• Wisconsin Marriage Index (selected entries pre-1907)
• Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997
• Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930
• Pre-1892 Wisconsin Brides and/or Grooms from Maine State Archives Cards
• Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968
• Pre-1907 Death Index
• 1959-1979 Death Index
• 1979-1984 Death Index

Douglas County, WI Census Records

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

Douglas Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Douglas Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Douglas Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. One can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research.

There are Wisconsin State censuses from 1895 and 1905. Also the Wisconsin Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index for 1820-1890. You can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Wisconsin Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Douglas County, WI Census Records Links

Douglas County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Douglas County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Douglas County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Douglas County.The date listed for each category of record is usually the earliest registration filed. The earliest date does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually registered.

See Also Wisconsin Courthouse Records Research Guide.

• Douglas County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 1313 Belknap Street, Superior, WI 54880; Phone: 715.395.1568
• Douglas County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 715-395-1350
  • Birth Records: 1861
  • Marriage Records: 1854
  • Death Records: 1877
  • Land Records: 1854
• Douglas County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 715-395-1229
  • Probate Records: 1856
• Douglas County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (715) 395-1469
  • Court Records: 1855
• Public Records of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs provides access to certain public records of the circuit courts of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1935
• U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898
• BLM Land Records

Douglas County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Douglas County Historical Society, 1101 John Ave, Superior, WI 54880; Phone: 715-392-8449
•  Gordon-Wascott Historical Society, and Museum, 9672E Hwy Y, Gordon, WI 54838; Phone: 715-376-4249
•  Solon Springs Historical Society, 10732 S Rocky Hill Rd, Solon Springs, WI 54873; Phone: 715-378-4296
•  Twin Ports Genealogical Society, PO Box 16895, Duluth, WI 55816-0895
• Area Research Center – Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Avenue, Superior, WI 54880; Phone: 715/394-8860
• Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
• State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706-1488
• Wisconsin State Genealogical Society, PO Box 5106, Madison, WI 53705
• Wisconsin Genealogy Index (wisconsinhistory.org) Search for pre-1907 Vital Records, as well as for 150,000 Wisconsin Name Index (WNI) records, including biographical sketches, obituaries, and newspaper articles published before 2000.

Where can I connect with other Douglas County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

• Wisconsin State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Douglas County
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Douglas County, WI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Douglas County. Many of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is just a listing which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Douglas Co. WI Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Wisconsin Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Wisconsin historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Wisconsin (1837 – 1992) (genealogybank.com)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Douglas County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Douglas Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

• Wisconsin Church & Cemetery Research Guide
• Douglas Co., Wisconsin Graves (findagrave.com)
• Douglas County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Douglas Co., Wisconsin Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Douglas Co., Wisconsin Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Church Books (amazon.com)

Douglas Co. WI Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• Historical Image Collections (wisconsinhistory.org)
• Local History & Biography Articles (wisconsinhistory.org) thousands of historical newspaper articles on Wisconsin people and communities
• The Wisconsin Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Douglas Co. WI General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Wisconsin
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Douglas Co. WI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Wisconsin – Counties – Douglas (cyndislist.com)
• Douglas County Wisconsin (genealogytrails.com)
• Douglas Co. WIGenweb (wigenweb.org)
• Douglas County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Douglas Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Douglas Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Wisconsin Links and Information
• Douglas Co. D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps (dot.wisconsin.gov)
• Wisconsin Public Land Survey Records: Original Field Notes & Plat Maps for Douglas County
• 1895 Douglas County Map (livgenmi.com)

Douglas Co. WI Military Records

• Wisconsin Military Records Research Guide
• Wisconsin Military Records (fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Wisconsin both women and men which served. Just the thing for Douglas County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.