Research with Us.
genealogy &
regional research.
We can help you with online research tools, research requests, and research conducted on-site in our Heritage Center.
The Nobles County Historical Society collects, organizes, and preserves collections, manuscripts and genealogy resources. Many of our holdings consist of collections donated by area individuals, families, and businesses. These holdings consist of self-published family genealogies and biographies, documents donated by other genealogists, bound manuscripts and volumes, church records, early marriage records, county records, and much more.
Below, you will find access to online resources curated by NCHS, information on research in our on-site library, as well as research assistance requests by mail or email.
Heritage Center
Research Library.
The NCHS Research Library is available for on-site research conducted during regular hours. The NCHS maintains four databases that can help with family history.
Click to email a request for a free search of the database. The index contains the surname, first name, page number and name of resource.
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The Database contains resources such as centennial and history books from the communities in Nobles County; service records from World War One and Two; collection of 200+ scrapbooks; early birth and death index; 1860 & 1870 census; all the cemeteries in the county; correspondence and members' ancestor charts of the NCGS society; obituary clipping files; and catalog of many other resources held at the Heritage Center.
Database index of file draws containing clippings from area newspaper.
Database includes index of Society artifacts and photograph collection.
Database of Daily Globe newspaper history columns from Ray Crippen, Ruth Hein and others.
*Society members may use the archives library free of charge, while non-members will be asked to make a small donation.
Research Services.
NCHS volunteers can assist with research requests received by phone, mail or email. As this service can be complex and detailed, we ask for a donation to the Society for this service.
Research is conducted here within our Heritage Center Library and archive resources.
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Please note: we will do a basic database search for a single surname at no charge. We do not respond to requests to provide “everything you got” on a surname.
These donations will help fund our facility costs as well as the purchase of relevant genealogies, biographies and published family histories.
Volunteers have put all data of Nobles County cemeteries on the website Find-a-Grave. Photo requests are via that site.
Please note we do not provide off-site research at the County Courthouse or other locations.
Results will be mailed or emailed. Please allow two weeks for completion. We may offer suggestions for continuing your research, provide alternate resources and/or suggest hiring a professional genealogist.
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If we cannot fulfill your request, we will try to direct you to the appropriate source, free of charge.
