Allen County Public Library

Ft. Wayne

The Allen County Public Library maintains one of the world’s largest collections of genealogical material. Its Genealogy Center curates most of these Resources. Among its holdings are various Fort Wayne and Allen County Resources, including vital statistics, cemetery records, church records, city directories, court records, government records, immigration records, maps, military records, and much more. There are also Indiana Resources and Other States Resources, as well as an African American Gateway and a Native American Gateway. Much of the Genealogy Center’s material is available on microfilm and can be searched with its Microtext Catalog. These include a large selections of African-American Records, Family Histories & Records, National Archives Microfilm, Periodicals & Newspapers, and various collections of microfilmed records from across the world. Also at the Library is the Lincoln Collection, featuring books, documents, and images of Abraham Lincoln, his family, his cabinet, and the Civil War. Finding Aids for the Lincoln Collection are available.

B. F. Hamilton Library

Franklin

The B. F. Hamilton Library serves as the main library for Franklin College. Its Physical and Special Collections are not as expansive as other archives, but they do contain unique sources for early Indiana in general, and the Baptist Church in particular. Among these is the David Demaree Banta Collection, a group of various manuscripts related to Indiana in the late 19th century. There is also the Indiana American Baptist Church Collection. This collection consists of the official records of the American Baptist Churches of both Indiana and Kentucky. Material in the collection includes minute books and church histories, association records, cemetery records, and other ephemera related to the American Baptist Church.

Duggan Library

Hanover

Duggan Library serves as the main library for Hanover College. Its Archives & Special Collections houses a sizeable selection of early Indiana sources. Of particularly interest is the Indiana Presbyterian Archives, which consists of various Presbyterian Church records from across Indiana. These materials date back to 1800 and include church registries, session minutes, ministers’ diaries, photographs, and vital statistics. Other materials in the Special Collections contain various 19th century manuscripts. There are also many Photographic and Visual Materials. Dozens of Finding Aids are available. Items held by the Special Collections may be searched with Duggan Library’s Online Catalog. Some of the Special Collections material has been digitized and can be viewed through Hanover College’s Digital Collections.

The Harold & Wilma Good Library

Goshen

The Harold & Wilma Good Library serves as the main library for Goshen College. Its Mennonite Historical Library holds one of the world’s largest collections of Anabaptist and Mennonite materials. A standout among these items is the Hartzler Collection, which consists of thousands of musical books printed during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Various Texts and Bibliographies provide invaluable reference tools for studying the history of the Anabaptist and Mennonite movements. Items held by the Historical Library may be searched with its Online Catalog. Some of the Historical Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through Internet Archive. Goshen College awards several Research Grants each year to support research at the Historical Library.

Indiana Historical Society

Indianapolis

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) has been collecting and preserving the history of the Hoosier State. Its Collections are especially rich in 18th and 19th century documents. These collections are housed in its Archives and contain African-American History Materials, Civil War Materials, Railroad History Materials, and Women’s History Materials. Other Research Materials include sources on Notable Hoosiers and Early Black Settlements, as well as Naturalization Records, the Historic Business Register, and Indiana Newspapers on Microfilm. A Processed Collections Index is available. Items held by the IHS may be searched with its Online Catalog. Much of the IHS’s material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Indiana State Archives

Indianapolis

The Indiana State Archives (ISA) serves as the official repository for the State of Indiana. Its Collections contain approximately 25,000 cubic feet of archival records from Indiana’s colonial era to the present day. Thousands of Photographs are held by the ISA, as well as Naturalization Records and Vital Records. There are also Antebellum African American Records. Other government documents include Governors’ Papers, Land Records, Military Records, State Constitutions, and State Supreme Court Cases. Several resources to help researchers are available, such as Finding Aids, Online Indexes, and Subject Guides. Items held by the ISA may be searched with its Research Indiana Catalog. The ISA has digitized two collections for Indiana Memory: Civil War: Governor Morton Telegraph Books and Slips and Indiana Before Statehood.

Indiana State Library

Indianapolis

The Indiana State Library (ISL) serves as the official library for the State of Indiana. Its Collections are quite vast and document well the early history of Indiana and the surrounding region. Among these holdings are both Federal Documents and Indiana State Documents, as well as a robust Genealogy Collection. There is also the Indiana Collection, perhaps the world’s largest collections of printed Indiana materials. Over 3 million Rare Books & Manuscripts are also at the ISL. Most items held by the ISL may be searched with its online catalog, Evergreen Indiana. Manuscripts may be searched with the Manuscripts Catalog. Several Online Resources are available, including genealogical indexes and online database subscriptions. The ISL also operates Indiana Memory, a collaborative effort between Indiana’s cultural institutions to provide online access to their digitized collections. Much of the ISL’s material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections and Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital Historic Newspaper Program.

Jeffersonville Township Public Library

Clarksville

The Jeffersonville Township Public Library has a variety of resources related to early Indiana. Its Indiana Room Collection features most of these materials. Most of the holdings are on microfilm and include several 19th century newspapers, vital records, and censuses. There are also records for Clark County and the City of Jeffersonville. The Library also has many other Genealogy & History Links, especially online database subscriptions. Items held by the Library may be searched with its Online Catalog. Some of the Library’s historical materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Knox County Public Library

Vincennes

The Knox County Public Library maintains a solid selection of early Indiana sources. Among its Genealogy resources are the historical records of the Knox County courts. These records date back to the 1790s and include both civil and criminal court cases, county deeds, naturalization records, wills, city directories, and various vital statistics. There are also several local newspapers on microfilm from 1807 to the present. Much of these materials are stored offsite at the Library’s McGrady-Brockman House.

Lilly Library

Bloomington

Part of the Indiana University Libraries, the Lilly Library is home to millions of books, manuscripts, and other archival materials, much of which relates to early America. Its holdings include a large selection of rare books and prints that focus on American Literature and Children’s Literature, as well as Bibles and Religion. Several manuscript collections relate to American History, including significant holdings for British North America and the early United States, as well as several Latin American colonies/nations. Indiana History is also well represented, especially for the 19th century. There are also some excellent resources for the histories of Medicine and Science. Items held by the Lilly Library may be searched with Archives Online at Indiana University. Much of the Lilly Library’s material has been digitized and can be viewed through Indiana University’s Image Collections Online.

Mennonite Church USA Archives

Elkhart

The Mennonite Church USA Archives serves as the official repository for Mennonite Church USA. While most of the material at the Archives is from the 20th century, there are some 19th century collections. Among these are church records, dairies, family papers, organizational records, and much more. Items held by the Archives may be searched and browsed with the Mennonite Archival Information Database (MAID).

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

West Lafayette

Located in Stewart Center, the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections maintains a solid collection of early American sources. Among these is a robust selection of Rare Books that covers a variety of subjects and a Collection of Midwestern Maps. There are also several manuscript collections from the early to mid 19th century. Standouts include the Indiana History Collection, the John Purdue Papers, and the New Harmony Collection. Online Finding Aids are available. Items held by the Archives and Special Collections may be searched with Purdue University Libraries’ Online Catalog. Much of the Special Collections material has been digitized and can be viewed through the Purdue University Libraries’ E-Archives. Research funding is provided through several Research Travel Grants.

Roy O. West Library

Greencastle

The Roy O. West Library serves as the main library for DePauw University. Its Archives & Special Collections is home to the official records of the Indiana United Methodist Church. This Collection consists of Methodist Church records dating back to 1801. They include letters and other manuscripts created by United Methodist ministers and missionaries, as well as church records, photographs, rare prints, and much more. Items held by the Archives & Special Collections may be searched with the West Library’s Online Catalog.

Theodore M. Hesburgh Library

Notre Dame

The Theodore M. Hesburgh Library serves as the main library for Notre Dame University. Its Rare Books & Special Collections consist of over 100,000 prints and over 6,000 linear feat of archival material. Early America is well represented in these holdings. Collecting areas include American Catholic Studies, English and American Literature, Fine Presses and Artists’ Books, Irish Studies, Latin American and Iberian Studies, Natural Science, Natural History & Medicine, and U.S. History and Culture. Early Americanists may be particularly interested in the Manuscripts of North America, which consist of Manuscripts of Colonial and Revolutionary America, Manuscripts of Early National and Antebellum America, and American Civil War Era Manuscripts. The Special Collections also holds a large selection of Maps, including the Edward and Sheila Scanlan Collection of Maps of the Great Lakes Region. There are also thousands of American and British Newspapers. Online Finding Aids are available. Items held by the Special Collections may be searched with the Hesburgh Library’s Online Catalog. Much of the Special Collections material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Other State Archives & Sources

Most Indiana counties still retain their earliest records. Check with local clerks of circuit court to see what is available. The Indiana State Archives keeps a Clerks of the Circuit Court Address List. A useful digital resource is Indiana Memory, a digital archive featuring digitized materials from dozens of Indiana archives, libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions. GenealogyDig keeps a List of Indiana Genealogical and Historical Societies.

Several regional repositories contain sources on early Indiana, including the Detroit Public Library, the Filson Historical Society, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Newberry Library, the Ohio History Connection, and the William L. Clements Library. Early Indiana sources may also be found at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

As a space of both British and French colonization, Indiana is well represented in the archives of Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Early Indiana sources can be found in Canada at Library and Archives Canada, in France at the Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer and Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and in the United Kingdom at the National Archives at Kew.