Libraries (Monroe County)

Cashton: Torkelson Memorial Library

720 Broadway St.
Cashton, WI 54619
Phone: (608) 654-5465
Web Address: http://www.wrlsweb.org/cashton
Email: torklib@wrlsweb.org

Kendall Public Library

110 E. So. Railroad St.
Kendall, WI 54638
Phone: (608) 463-7103
Email: klibrary@wrlsweb.org
Hours: Tuesday & Friday 10:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m., Thursday 1:00 p.m.—6:00 p.m.

Resources Available:

Books & Other Published Materials

History of Monroe County (1912)

Monroe Co., Wisconsin, Pictorial History (1976)

Monroe County Heritage Book (1984)

History of Monroe Co. Rural Schools (1989)

Memorable Kickapoo Valley

Celebrating Our Heritage, 1894-1994 (Kendall Centennial booklet)

Index to Vol. I; Early Marriages in Monroe Co., WI 1855-1865

Genealogical Branches from Monroe Co., WI (vols. 1-3)

The Beginning 1854 (Monroe Co.)

Index to Early Deaths in Monroe Co., WI 1856-mid 1907

Index to Birth Registrations in Monroe Co. 1850-1944 (vol. I & II)

Juneau Co. postcards & photos (1854-2000)

Yearbooks

Kendall High School, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1950-1959 (one book), 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1992,  1997, 1999, 2001

Norwalk Public Library

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 132
Location: 101 Railroad St.
Norwalk, WI 54648
Phone: (608) 823-7473
Web Address: http://www.wrlsweb.org/norwalk
Email: norwalkpl@wrlsweb.org

Sparta Free Library

124 W. Main St.
Sparta, WI 54656-0347
Phone: (608) 269-2010
Web Address: http://www.spartalibrary.org
Email: spartalibrary@wrlsweb.org

Tomah Public Library

716 Superior Ave.
Tomah, WI 54660-2098
Phone: (608) 374-7470
Web Address: http://www.tomah.com/tomahpl
Email: tomah_public_library@yahoo.com

Wilton Public Library

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 280
Wilton, WI 54670
Phone: (608) 435-6710
Web Address: http://www.wrlsweb.org/wilton
Email: wiltonlibrary@wrlsweb.org
Hours: Monday & Wednesday 10:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m., Tuesday 3:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m., Friday 12:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.—11:30 a.m.

Resources Available:

Books & Other Published Materials

Wilton Centennial

Newspapers published in Juneau County

Messenger (10 years retained)

Ontario: County Line Connection (2000-present)

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Special Collections & Area Research Center

Murphy Library
1631 Pine St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 785-8511
Web Address: www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/Departments/archome.html
Email: specoll@uwlax.edu
Hours: Academic Year: Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.—5:00 p.m., Wednesday 7:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m.
Summer Session & School Breaks: Call ahead It’s always good to call ahead to check open hours!

UW-La Crosse ARC covers the territory of Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties, Wisconsin

Resources Available:

Books & Other Published Material

Search the online catalog for book holdings: www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/

They have among their cataloged book collection such items as village, town, city and counties history, for places throughout Wisconsin. The Wisconiana collection of printed materials totals over 6,000 volumes.

Cemetery Indexes

Monroe County cemetery index (microfiche)

City & County Directories

Business gazetteers for Wisconsin

County Histories & Biographical Sketches

Search the online catalog for book holdings: www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/

Among the cataloged book collection are items such as village, town, city and counties history, for places throughout Wisconsin. The Wisconiana collection of printed materials totals over 6,000 volumes.  Specifically they have county histories for Monroe Co., 1892, 1912, 1984.

Newspapers published in Monroe County

Sparta: Monroe County Democrat (1886-1895)

Sparta Herald (1861-1862; 1869-1886; 1907-1916)

Tomah: Tomah Journal (1907-1912)

Tomah Monitor-Herald (1914-1916)

Manuscripts & Public Records Collections

Photographs

The photographic place files include pictures for over 1,000 Wisconsin cities and villages, and they have a very comprehensive collection of La Crosse area photos that include individual people, organizations, businesses, etc.

Also one of largest steamboat and inland boat photo collections is a strength.

Manuscripts

The La Crosse ARC has over 300 linear feet of manuscript collections and over 450 feet of public records of possible value to genealogists. Examples include certain school districts; county court, clerk, tax sale and treasurer records; and papers of businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Search Arcat for manuscript & public records for collections related to any manuscript or public record collection.

Public Records

Monroe County

Register of deeds, 1851-1889

Grantor/Grantee (land record) indexes, 1851-1889

Probate index, 1867, 1980

Probate record books, 1867-1901

Naturalization records, 1854-1946

Circuit Court:
  Civil case files, 1855-1937 (57 cubic ft.); index available on CD
  Criminal case files, 1855-1932 (10 cubic ft.)

*For county tax rolls, every year available is kept until circa 1900; then generally every fifth or tenth year after that is kept.

Plat Maps & Books

Approximately 500 maps and other county plat books are at the La Crosse ARC. You can search their online catalog for plat book holdings: www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/.

For Monroe County specifically, have 1897-present, also a plat map 1877.

Vital Records Indexes

The Archives has the following indexes on microfiche. These were produced by the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and are also available from the Wisconsin Historical Society online site www.wisconsinhistory.org/genealogy:

Index to Wisconsin Births, pre-1907
Index to Wisconsin Marriages, pre-1907
Index to Wisconsin Deaths, pre-1907
Pre-1907 registers/certificates of Wisconsin births, marriages and deaths for Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon counties on microfilm