RESEARCH CENTER

Welcome to the Research Center

Our friendly, knowledgeable staff can provide guidance, resources, and services to support your pursuit of local history and family history.

If you are unfamiliar with genealogy (researching your ancestors through time), we will show you how to get started!

If you are an independent learner, we will highlight resources—including free access to Ancestry.com—to further your research.

For students, journalists, historians, and scholars, our staff can work with you to locate and access other resources and historical collections from the archives. Just (click here to) schedule a time to talk with our Collections Manager, Cara Mooney.

Click here to visit our online genealogy database!

Research Center Hours

Summer hours apply Memorial Day through Labor Day. Fall/winter hours apply Labor Day through Memorial Day. Admission to the Research Center is always free!

Day	Summer Hours	Fall/Winter Hours
Monday	Closed	Closed
Tuesday	10:00am – 5:00pm	10:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday	10:00am – 5:00pm	10:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday	10:00am – 5:00pm*	10:00am – 5:00pm*
Friday	10:00am – 5:00pm	10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday	10:00am – 5:00pm	10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday	10:00am – 5:00pm	Closed

* Late Night in the Research Center

Come study your geneology during extended hours! The Research Center will be open until 8:00pm on the last Thursday of most months. (Some months’ Late Night day might vary due to holidays. See our Upcoming Events for more information.)

Questions? Call the Research Center at (218) 254-6005 or email yourroots@mndiscoverycenter.org for more information.

The Library

Our Research Center’s library is a valuable resource for detailed information regarding the Iron Range’s history. It belongs to the Arrowhead Library System (ALS). Anyone possessing a valid library card from an ALS public library can check out items from the main circulating collection. Non-circulating items may be researched onsite. Click here to access the ALS online library catalog.

Along with books, our library also has newspapers, periodicals, magazines, microfilm, and electronic databases. Library staff specialize in genealogical research and can assist you in starting your genealogical project.

Free access to Ancestry.com is available.

Must-Have Records and Resources to Aid in Your Research

Naturalization Records

Foreigners who became United States citizens are known as naturalized citizens. This process usually included two stages: the filing of first papers (a person’s declaration of intention to become a citizen) and final papers (a person’s petition and record showing he or she was made a legitimate citizen). Microfilm copies for Minnesota’s 87 counties are available.

Alien Registration of 1918

During World War One, the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety required all non-U.S. citizens (including children) living in Minnesota to register with the state. German males were not included.

Archival Collections

These historical collections were created by a person, family, agency, or business and include some personal or family papers, business or organizational records, federal and local government records, maps, moving images, oral histories, photographs, and sound recordings.

County Plat Books

Records, usually public and in book form, showing the location, size, and owner’s name for each plot of land in a stated area, for Itasca County and St. Louis County.

City Directories

These directories contain alphabetical listings of people and businesses, including addresses and employment information.

Hibbing Arrest Records

Information includes arrestee’s name, date of arrest, and nature of infraction (e.g., violation of city ordinance). Please note that these records DO NOT include court proceedings.

Iron Range High School Yearbooks

Annual publications that provide information and often photographs about students and school activities during the school year.

Newspapers

Most Iron Range newspapers that were published between 1900s-1990s are available in microfilm format.

Obituaries

This record category consists primarily of obituaries taken from Iron Range newspapers; it also includes State of Minnesota death cards (1900-1903).

Mining Accident Records

The Inspector of Mines for Crow Wing, Itasca, and St. Louis counties published annual reports that include information on accidents—both non-fatal personal injuries and accidental fatalities.

Telephone Directories

These directories contain alphabetical listings of people and businesses with telephone service and include addresses.

Women in Industry Records

Beginning in March 1918, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industries conducted a survey of working women in Minnesota. Completed in December 1919, the survey included results from 81 of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

We can work with you (onsite) to use resources that cover the United States or the globe.
• Ancestry.com (Library Edition)
• Newspapers.com
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

We have various online and onsite resources that may document your family’s lives and times.
• Alien registration records
• Naturalization records
• Minnesota Digital Library
• Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub
• Historical aerial photographs

We use various online and onsite resources specific to Minnesota’s Iron Ranges—the Cuyuna, Mesabi, and Vermilion—and the Rangers who called these places “home.”
• City and telephone directories
• Local newspapers (on microfilm)
• Pamphlet subject files
• Local history library collection
• Online genealogy database
• Iron Range veterans database
• Other historical collections
• Historical Iron Range photographs

Questions?

If you require additional assistance with your family history, please contact us:

218-254-6005
yourroots@mndiscoverycenter.org

If you are interested in a topic other than family history, please let us know:

218-254-1229
archivist@mndiscoverycenter.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Established in 1980, the Iron Range Research Center collects the natural history and human history of Minnesota’s Arrowhead region—and more specifically, its Iron Ranges.

Yes. Everyone is welcome to visit the Research Center, learn about its resources, and utilize its services.

No. However, there are reproduction fees for certain items (e.g., photocopies).

You must pay for some items (i.e., an online record request) with a credit card. For all other expenses, you can pay with cash, check, or credit card.

Yes. Free wifi is also available to visitors in the research center.

There are public-access computers available to visitors at the research center.

This database contains person-specific index entries for different kinds of records (e.g., obituaries or naturalization records).

Each database entry only contains information about the record, not a digital copy of the record itself.

Yes, but only if you are onsite at the research center.

Yes, we have other resources, like city directories, newspapers, and telephone directories.

No. We recommend you contact your county assessor/auditor for property information.

Yes. The Iron Range Research Center is a member library of the Arrowhead Library System (ALS). Visitors with valid ALS library cards may check out certain items.

Yes. Guided by our collections policy, our staff will work with you to determine if your donation is an appropriate addition to our permanent collections. To learn more, please see the Donating Archives section of our Learn page