Julian Edison Department of Special Collections

St. Louis

Part of the Washington University in St. Louis Libraries, the Julian Edison Department of Special Collections maintains an eclectic collection of early American sources. While its Manuscript Collections focus primarily on 20th century materials, they do include some collections specific to early St. Louis and the surrounding region. Some collections of note include the George N. Meissner Collection, the Spanish Archive, the Robert B. Snow Collection. An online catalog for the Special Collections can be found here. Much of the Special Collections holdings have been digitized and are available through its Digital Collections.

Kansas City Public Library

Kansas City

The Kansas City Public Library boasts a sizeable selection of early Missouri sources. Much of these materials are located in the Missouri Valley Special Collections. An Inventory of Special Collections is available to browse its Archival Collections and includes PDF finding aids for individual collections. Much of the early sources are collections of family papers and would be excellent for social historians. Some of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Missouri Historical Society

St. Louis

The Missouri Historical Society boasts an impressive collection of material related to the history and culture of both St. Louis and Missouri. Its Library & Research Center collections are especially rich in the French, Spanish, British, and American colonial periods of the Mississippi Valley. More information about the scope of the collections and how to access them can be found on its Research and Documents & Archives pages. There are also some very detailed Archives Guides available. Materials held and digitized by the Society can be searched and viewed via its Online Collections Search.

Missouri State Archives

Jefferson City

The Missouri State Archives is the official repository for the State of Missouri. As such, it has an extensive collection of government records related to the early history of Missouri, including Census Records and Tax Lists, County and Municipal Records, Judicial Records, Land Records, Naturalization Records, and more. For a full list of collections by subject, click here. There are also various Manuscript Collections of a private nature held by the Archives. The Archives provide researchers with Finding Aids for their various record groups, as well as a Manuscript Collection General Index. Researchers can also search the Archives’ Collection Catalog. Much of the Archives’ materials have been digitized and can be viewed through Missouri Digital Heritage.

St. Louis Mercantile Library

St. Louis

Located at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, the St. Louis Mercantile Library boasts an impressive selection of early Missouri sources. Its Collections are particularly strong in Western Americana, Missouri and St. Louis history, transportation history, and more. Researchers can learn more about the materials held by the Library by viewing their Research Guides and the Special Collections Directory, or searching the UMSL Library Catalog. The UMSL Digital Library provides online access to the Mercantile Library’s digitized materials.

St. Louis Public Library Special Collections

The St. Louis Public Library Special Collections maintains a small yet interesting selection of early American sources. While most of its Archival Collections pertain to the late 19th and 20th centuries, there are some materials of interest to early Americanists, including the First Battalion of the US Regiment of Riflemen Orderly Book, the McAnally Collection, the Muscogee Indians of the Creek Nation Collection, the Presidential Election Campaign Collection, and a few others. The Library does offer access to various Digital Collections, including its Civil War Collections.

The State Historical Society of Missouri

Columbia

Not to be confused with the Missouri Historical Society, the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) boasts its own excellent selection of resources that document the early history of Missouri. SHSMO operates at various Research Centers across the state, with its Center for Missouri Studies serving as its central hub. Its Collections include more than 9,000 Manuscript Collections, over 8,000 Maps, and 56,000 microfilm rolls of Newspapers. Researchers may find SHSMO’s Research Guides and Manuscripts Index useful. Much of SHSMO’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections. The Center for Missouri Studies offers Fellowships each year on specific topics.

University of Missouri Special Collections and Archives

Columbia

The University of Missouri Special Collections and Archives maintains a solid collection of early American printed materials and maps. Highlights include the Daniel Webster Speeches Collection, the Fourth of July Orations Collection, the Gary E. and Janet J. Venable Antiquarian Atlas & Map Collection, and the Plat Books of Missouri Counties Collection. The Special Collections also holds some Manuscript Collections. There are also various Digital Resources for researching the Special Collections online.

Other Missouri Archives & Sources

Most of Missouri’s extant county records have been microfilmed and are available at the Missouri State Archives, but there may be some lingering in local court houses. Check with county clerks to see what is available. The State Historical Society of Missouri maintains a list of Missouri’s local historical societies in its Missouri Society Directory. A similar list of Local Historical, Museum, and Genealogical Agencies is provided by the Missouri State Archives.

Several regional repositories have sources related to early Missouri, including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, the Kansas Historical Society, the Louisiana State Archives, the Newberry Library, and the State Historical Society of Iowa. Early Missouri sources can also be found at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Prior to 1804, the space that became Missouri was part of the French and Spanish colony of Louisiana. As such, early Missouri sources can be found in France at the Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and in Spain at the Archivo General de Indias.