History and Genealogy

Ancestry Library Edition
Most comprehensive online source of information for conducting genealogical and local history research available. Included are the digitized images of the U.S. Federal Census from 1790 forward, the American Genealogical Biographical Index, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, and more.  Available only on Library workstations.
(Subscription provided by MELSA.)

ArchiveGrid 
Search through historical documents, personal papers, and family histories held in archives around the world.
(Provided by ELM.)

Biography Resource Center
Combines award-winning biographies from respected Gale Group sources.  Also includes full text articles from hundreds of periodicals.
(Subscription provided by MELSA.)

Daily Life Online
A collection of primary documents, reference works, monographs, images, maps, illustrations, and timelines depicting essential activities of daily life across the globe and throughout history.
(Subscription paid for by Washington County.)

Discovering Collection
For grades 6-12, provides in-depth content in six areas: geography and culture, history, literature, multimedia, biography, and science and health. Thousands of overview essays, literary criticisms, timelines, primary source documents, audio and video clips and more than 15,000 maps, images, and flags.
(Provided by ELM.)

The Historical Minneapolis Tribune
Search The Historical Minneapolis Tribune using ProQuest.
Content includes the Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1908); Minneapolis, Minn. and Minneapolis Morning Tribune (1909-1922); Minneapolis, Minn., 
Enter your search term and press the "Search" button.
Every issue of each title includes the complete paper cover-to-cover, with full-page and article images in easily downloadable PDF format.
(Subscription purchased with funds provided to Minnesota State Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) through the Institute of Museums and Library Services.)

The Historical New York Times
Search The Historical New York Times using ProQuest.
Enter your search term and press the "Search" button.
(Subscription provided by MELSA.)

World News Digest 
Facts On File World News Digest is a permanent record of the essential facts of the news as reported in the major newspapers and news magazines of the U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia, and elsewhere in the world. Contains the full text of Facts On File World News Digest since 1940, plus a live newsfeed from Reuters® and thousands of in-depth features, images, charts, and primary documents.
(Subscription paid for by Washington County.)

American Family Immigration History Center
Helps people search for and tell stories about passengers who came to America through Ellis Island and the Port of New York.

American Memory from the Library of Congress
A gateway to primary source material on the history and culture of the United States.

ePodunk
Profiles of cities and counties across the U.S. Also, data on airports, cemeteries, museums, and other institutions. Statistics at the city and county level: income, educational level, economic, crime.

Family Search
From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a very good site for genealogy searches and information.

Minnesota Historical Society
A private non-profit educational and cultural institution established to preserve and share Minnesota history. Links to events and news, library collections, museums and historic places, school resources, and more.

Minnesota Reflections
Brings you nearly 31,000 images and documents shared by more than 95 cultural heritage organizations across the state.

MN Video Vault
Contains hundreds of programs from the tpt (Twin Cities Public Television) archives: classic interviews and performances from Nighttimes Variety, Newsnight Minnesota and Almanac as well as a broad cross-section of tpt documentaries. Also included are current tpt productions, as well as programs from other regional public television stations.

National Archives for Genealogists/Family Historians

Washington County Name Index
Names taken from indexes of important books, government records, and other documents.

*Funding for the electronic references is provided by ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) with a state appropriation to the MINITEX Library Information Network, MELSA (Metropolitan Library Service Agency) with funding from state and federal revenues, and Washington County.