Local History & Genealogy
Seefeld Local History Room
On the second floor of the Main Library downtown, this collection of more than 2,600 items is composed of materials related to the history of the City of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County and nearby areas. Some of the items available include Fond du Lac area newspapers and index, area plat maps, cemetery records, Fond du Lac City and County directories, and various family histories Contact us with questions at (920) 322-3930 or reference@fdlpl.org.
Scavenger Hunt Clue #10
Head to the online resource that you would access to help you improve your home. This database gives you information about many popular home improvement projects such as electrical, plumbing, maintenance, and gardening.
Hint: home improvement
During National Library Card Sign-up Month, we will be running a digital scavenger hunt on our website. To get started, find the Digital Scavenger event on the calendar. Complete the scavenger hunt for a small prize and to be entered into a grand prize drawing
Recommended Resources
Just starting your local history and genealogy journey? Here are some resources that the library has or recommends to guide you in your research
Wisconsin and Fond du Lac have long and diverse histories to learn about. Use the following resources to get started learning about both!
From the shores of Lake Michigan to the banks of the Mississippi, the Wisconsin Local Histories collection showcases the awesome resources of public libraries and historical societies from across the state.
Early Fond du Lac People and Places is a collection of 13 Fond du Lac historical books that have been digitized and made available online. This project was made possible by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants.
Source of the Lake: 150 years in Fond du Lac. A collection of historical essays written by students at Marian College under the supervision of Clarence B. Davis. This book is reproduced with the permission of the editor.
Wisconsin Historical Society offers history, current museum exhibits and historic Wisconsin places.
The State of Wisconsin Collection brings together, in digital form, two categories of primary and secondary materials: writings about the State of Wisconsin and unique or valuable materials that relate to its history and ongoing development.
Fond du Lac Public Library’s monthly History at Home programs focus on local and state history. Most are video recorded and available
History by the Lake: Studies in the history of Fond du Lac and the Lake Winnebago region. This is a collection of historical essays written by students at Marian College under the supervision of Clarence B. Davis. Reproduced with the permission of the editor.
At the Fond du Lac Public Library we provide access to a number of resources to help you get started or continue with researching your family tree.
Ancestry includes U.S. Census information, passenger lists, birth, death, marriage and military records, family and local history collections and more.
This resource is provided by the Fond du Lac Public Library and is only available in the library.
A comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources.
Collection of genealogical and historical sources. Unique primary sources, local, and family histories. U.S. Federal Censuses, books, cemetery records, city directories, military records and more.
This resource is provided by BadgerLink.
Hosted by the Bureau of Land Management , there are more than two million images of land patent records from 1820-1908.
This page will help you trace your American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry and provide you with information about tribal services, tribal contacts, and genealogical research. Some frequently asked and common ancestral search questions will also be answered within this page.
Resources for the genealogist from U.S. National Archives, which oversees the management of all federal records.
The Family History Guide is a free website that represents a best-in-class learning environment for family history. Its scope is broad, but its focus is narrow enough to help you achieve your goals, step by step.
This page is your gateway to searching vital records as reported in newspapers in 5 Wisconsin counties:
Fond du Lac
Green Lake
Marquette
Waushara
Winnebago
Cover-to-cover access to 235 of Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s daily and weekly member newspapers from April 2005 to present (with a two-month embargo period).
Search the Fond du Lac Newspapers from 1965-present as well as several other Wisconsin papers.
This resource is provided by the Fond du Lac Public Library.
Daily Fond Du Lac Press (1866-1866) | Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter (1965-1971) | Fond Du Lac Daily Commonwealth (1912-1914) | Fond Du Lac Daily News (1899-1899) | Fond Du Lac Democratic Press (1858-1895) | Fond Du Lac Journal (1846-1872) | Fond Du Lac National Democrat (1853-1853) \ Fond Du Lac Press (1866-1866) | Fond Du Lac Reporter (1972-1977) | Fond Du Lac Union (1853-1855) | Fond Du Lac Weekly Commonwealth (1858-1862) | Fond Du Lac Western Freeman (1854-1856) | Fond Du Lac Whig (1846-1847) | Found Du Lac Trade Extension (1918-1918) | Fountain City Daily Herald (1854-1856) | Fountain City Herald (1852-1856) | Nordwestlicher Courier (1876-1896) | Unterhaltungs Blatt (1875-1875) | Wisconsin Republican (1849-1872)
Explore Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin Records
Fond Du Lac Obituaries Records | Fond Du Lac Arrest Records | Fond Du Lac Birth Records | Fond Du Lac Military Records | Fond Du Lac Marriage Records | Fond Du Lac Divorce Records
This resource is provided by the Winnefox Library System.
Historical newspapers archive from the 1700s – 2000s containing thousands of well-known regional, state, and small local newspapers in the United States and other countries.
This resources is provided by the Winnefox Library System.
Looking to do some reading on Local History and Genealogy? Here are some books that recommend.
Book a Local History Librarian
The Book a Local History Librarian service provides up to 1 hour of 1:1 support for assistance locating basic information and/or resources for local history and genealogy research, including library databases and materials.