The Library and Archives at the Museum houses an extensive collection of historical books, many of which have been thoroughly indexed. State, County, Town, and Township records, along with general period history references are made available to Members for research, free of charge. The library also includes books and periodicals on genealogy, vital statistics, and historical and general subject indexes.
The museum’s microfilm room contains an extensive collection of McLeod County newspapers as well as census and naturalization records.
The Museum also holds a large walk-in archives filled with photographs, maps, video and audio tapes, and original documents organized by subject and size. Photographs can be accessed by staff members with the availability to purchase photocopies, scan copies, or reprints.
Research Library Services & Fees
The Library may be used by non-members for a fee of $5 per hour, (free to members) or our in-house volunteer staff can do research for $10 per hour, plus copy fees
Contact us with your research request!
McLeod County Historical Society Library Holdings – Partial Listing:
- Atlas and Farmers Directory of McLeod County, Minnesota, published by The Farmer 1914
- Atlas of McLeod County, Agricultural Committee, Glencoe, Minnesota
- Atlas of McLeod County, Minnesota published by Midland Atlas Company, 1969
- Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, published by Thomas O. Nelson Co. 1948
- Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, published by Thomas O. Nelson Co. 1955
- Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, published by Thomas O. Nelson Co. 1963
- Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, compiled by Title Atlas Company 1979
- Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, compiled by Title Atlas Company 1999
- Bergen Township Birth and Death Records
- Brownton Centennial, 1857-1957 A Century of Achievement
- Brownton Illustrated by R. H. Lueneburg 1893
- Card Index File of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- City of Glencoe, Minnesota Telephone Directory, 1979
- Country Girl, The – The Early Years by Mildred Kovar
- Crow River Wide Area Telephone Directory, Years 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, 1999-2000
- Farm & Home Plat & Directory, McLeod-Sibley Counties, MN 1984
- Farm & Home Plat & Directory, McLeod County, MN 1999
- Hale Township Birth and Death Records
- History of Glencoe, A 1855-1975 by Mrs. Otto Shamla etal.
- History of the City of Hutchinson From Founding to Present, edited by Sophomore English Classes, published in 1936
- Hutchinson City Directories, Years 1901, 1906, 1910, 1917, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995
- Hutchinson Legacy, The, 1976
- Illustrated Album of Meeker and McLeod Counties- 1888
- Jay Gould Million Dollar Gems by Della Gould Emmons
- Lester Prairie Community 1886-1986 by Barbara Dammann
- Little Crow by Gary Clayton Anderson
- Lone Pine Legends by Ed Zeleznikar
- McLeod County Landowners Index- 1880 by Mavis Kottke, unpublished
- McLeod County Landowners Index- 1898 by Mavis Kottke, unpublished
- McLeod County Landowners Index- 1910 by Mavis Kottke, unpublished
- Minnesota Adjutant General’s Report of 1866, Park Genealogical Books
- Minnesota State Census 1865, Index for McLeod County, compiled by Mavis Kottke
- Minnesota State Census 1875, Index for McLeod County, compiled by Mavis Kottke
- Minnesota Territorial Census, 1850, edited by Patricia C. Harpole and Mary D. Nagle
- Newspaper Clippings Filed Alphabetically
- Numerous Individual Family Histories
- Obituaries- Selected Newspaper Clipping in Alphabetical Order
- Official County Plat Book and Farmers’ Directory of McLeod County Minnesota
- Official County Plat Book and Farmers’ Directory of Carver and McLeod County Minnesota,1965
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Directory, 1973
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Directory, 1975
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Rural Resident Directory, 1976
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Rural Resident Directory, 1978
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Rural Resident Directory, 1979
- Official McLeod County, Minnesota Rural Resident Directory, 1985
- Plato Minnesota Centennial 1878-1978
- Plat Book of McLeod County Minnesota 1948
- Silver Lake, Minnesota 1889-1989 One Hundred Years of Life
- Singing Yankees by Philip D. Jordan (a history of the Hutchinson Family singers)
- Standard Atlas of McLeod County Minnesota, 1898
- Stewart Centennial 1878-1978 by the Stewart Study Committee
- Telephone directories of McLeod County villages and cities for many years
- Winsted Centennial 1887-1987
- Winsted Township Birth Records
- Winsted Township Death Record
Microfilm Library
- Minnesota State Census Schedules for McLeod County and some surrounding counties for 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905
- Naturalization records for McLeod County
- Newspapers in McLeod County for certain years
- Brownton Bulletin
- Glencoe Advertiser
- Glencoe Register
- Hutchinson Enterprise
- Hutchinson Independent Times
- Hutchinson Leader
- Lester Prairie News
- McLeod County Enterprise
- Silver Lake Leader
- Stewart Tribune
- Winsted Journal
- U. S. Population Census Schedules for McLeod County and some surrounding counties for 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920