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Genealogy & Local History

The Special Collections Department is closed on Sundays.

Contact Special Collections

Send us an email!

Special Collections staff are available Monday-Saturday during regular library hours to assist with local history & genealogy research. For any other information, please contact us by sending an email using the link above or call 232-1113 ext. 2212



Tips for Researchers

Birth & death records are located in each county's local health office. These records were not required in Indiana until 1882. Vigo County marriage records date back to the beginning of the county, but do not contain much genealogical information until 1882.


Basic Sources for Local Genealogical Research

Download a series of pamphlets compiled by VCPL Special Collections. Please note these files are in PDF format.


Vigo County History

For more Vigo County history, please visit the following:

Vigo County Marriage Index  |  Wabash Valley Obituaries  |  Genealogy Databases  |  Special Collections Highlights

The charge for obituaries has increased to $5.00 each for non-residents of Vigo County and $3.00 each for local residents.

Vigo County Marriage Index: 1904 - 1951


Wedding photo of George A. Woodard & Lotta H. Harvey (married in Parke County, IN on Jan 20, 1887). Photo courtesy VCPL Archives.

The VCPL received LSTA grants in 2000 & 2001 to digitize Vigo County Marriage Records from Feb 1914 - Feb 1951.

Click here to read more about this project.

The digitization of the 1904-1914 marriage records was made possible by a bequest from Jacqueline (Havill) Phillips.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the marriage records.



Wabash Valley Obituary Index


Photocopy Request Information & Project Details

Indexes to obituaries published in Terre Haute newspapers from 1900 to present.




Search the Genealogy Databases

Ancestry Library Edition

Available only from computers within the VCPL & its Branches. Genealogy research source providing access to 1.5 billion names, 4,000 databases including census, vital, church, court, and immigration records. Updated frequently. Ancestry Library Edition is only available from VCPL Computers.


HeritageQuest

Find ancestors and relatives in the complete set of US Federal Census Records 1790-1930, information on people and places described in over 25,000 family and local histories and information about people and places from the PERSI index of 1.6 + million genealogy and local history articles.


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Special Collection Highlights

These collections are housed in the library and may be visited by patrons during regular library hours.

Vigo County Courthouse Records

We have microfilm Vigo County courthouse records filmed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They include: deed records, 1818-1886, with various indexes; delayed records of birth, 1941-1978; index to settled estates and guardianships, 1819-1927; guardians and administration records, 1897-1918; marriage records, 1818-Feb 1951, with various indexes; naturalization records and index, 1856-1906; probate order books, 1818-1918 and complete probate order books, 1829-1864; record of indentures, 1818-1886; and will records, 1818-1918.


Terre Haute City & Vigo County Histories

We have most of the Terre Haute city directories from 1858 to the present. Also includes all the indexed Vigo County histories, early Vigo County marriage records, and some Vigo County cemetery records. We also have histories of most of Indiana's 92 counties and some out-of-state county histories. Most of these histories are not indexed.


W.P.A. Indexes

We have indexes compiled by the Works Progress Administration for the birth, marriage, and death records of 67 of Indiana’s 92 counties available on microfilm and CD-ROM. The birth and death indexes cover the years 1882 through 1920. Most, but not all, of the marriage indexes cover the years 1850 through 1920. Except for Vigo County marriages, the actual records are not available at the library.


Census Materials

We have the federal censuses for Indiana from 1820—1880 and 1900—1930 on microfilm. We also have the microfilm for the 1850 census of the states of Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. In addition we have other census years for nearby Illinois counties. Various indexes are available in printed form, microfilm and CD-ROM. The library also subscribes to the Ancestry and Heritage Quest databases which enable researchers to check any census for any county in any state. Ancestry is only available within the library.


Terre Haute Newspaper Records

We have an excellent collection of Terre Haute newspapers on microfilm dating back to 1823, although there are many missing issues. A card file contains a partial index of the early newspapers. Microfilm reader-printers can be used to photocopy news articles.