Start Uncovering the Past
The Research Center collections accommodate researchers of all stripes, from amateur genealogists to professional historians, and cover all aspects of Olmsted County history. See our Research page for fees and how to make a research request.
Resources include but are not limited to:
- Local newspapers, 1859 to present
- City directories, 1873 to 2020
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage), 1871 to 1997 (end dates vary by record type)
- Funeral home records
- Probate and Guardianship records
- Plat maps
- High school yearbooks
- Cemetery inscriptions
- Federal census, 1857 to 1930
- State census, 1865 to 1905
- Scrapbooks
- Photographs of people, places, and events
Biographical Index
Search for various items in the collections, organized biographically, including photographs, diaries, letters, newspaper articles, documents, etc.
Subject Index
Search for various items in the collections, organized by subject, including photographs, diaries, letters, newspaper articles, documents, etc.
Rochester Public Library
Personals Index
Search for anniversaries, births, divorces, marriages, and obituaries that appeared in the Rochester Post Bulletin between 1984 and 2009. Obituaries after 2009 are not indexed here, but can be found in the Biographical Index.
Rochester Public Library
Subject Index
Search for local topics and issues that appeared in the Rochester Post Bulletin between 1971 and 1991. Compiled from a card index.
Photo Index
Search for photographs from various local photographers – including Cutshall Studio, Hoffmann Studios, Elle’s Photography, Mosing Photography, and Potter Photography.
Fire Department Index
Search for personnel, buildings, articles, fire images, and equipment. These are held in the Rochester Fire Department archives. Images have been posted in low resolution.
Collection Finding Aids
and Other Resources
Finding Aids
- Archives Book Collection
- Records of Gay/Lesbian Community Services
- KTTC News Out-Takes Collection
- Mayo Family Papers
- Mayo Memorial Time Capsule
- Records of Olmsted County Environmental Resources
- Phi Sigma Alpha Collection
- Religious Text Collection
- Rochester High School/John Marshall High School Collection
- Records of SEMVA
Resources and Organizations
- LandShark Online Research
Land records for Olmsted County - Rochester Public Library ResCarta
Database of digital records from the Rochester Public Library - Rochester Public Library Genealogy Resources
- 125 Live Genealogy Club
- Family History Center
- Minnesota Official Marriage System
Minnesota marriage records - Minnesota Reflections
Database of digital records from across Minnesota - Minnesota Historical Society
- Minnesota Genealogical Society
- National Archives and Records Administration
- Library of Congress
Local Organizations
- Olmsted County Genealogical Society
- Byron Area Historical Society
- Chatfield Historical Society
- Dodge County Historical Society
- Fillmore County Historical Society
- Goodhue County Historical Society
- Mower County Historical Society
- Oronoco Area History Center
- Wabasha County Historical Society Museum
- Winona County Historical Society
- Daughters of the American Revolution, Rochester Chapter
- Mechanical History Round Table