Recent State Archives Acquisitions: May 2011

Background Information

Government records concerning interesting research topics, and a great family history research resource were added this month to the State Archives.

Documenting the Minnesota Legislature is a collecting priority of the State Archives, and records of two legislatively-mandated commissions were transferred in late April. The records include meeting minutes, selected subject files and reports (dated ca. 1991-1996) of the Legislative Commission on Children, Youth and Their Families; meeting minutes, selected subject files and reports, and listening tours files (dated ca. 1986-2008) of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty by 2020. These two legislative commissions are not documented in the State Archives, so they are a welcome addition to provide information about these important topics and the work of the commissions.

With the assistance of Collections Management Department project staff, assessment rolls and tax lists of Stearns County were added to the State Archives. The records will soon be, or are already, shelved and cataloged. These records are particularly useful for family history research, and are valuable for the long period of time, over one hundred years, that they cover. The assessment rolls dated 1861, 1884-1889, 1901, 1910-1911, 1920-1921, 1950-1951, 1960-1961 are volumes missing from the microfilmed set of assessment rolls already preserved in the State Archives; the 1970-1971 and 1980-1981 volumes continue the existing set. The tax lists are dated 1859-1901, 1910-1911, 1920-1921, 1930-1931, 1940-1941, 1950-1951, 1960-1961, 1970-1971, and 1980-1981.

Historic bridges are a popular research topic, and recently the Transportation Department transferred files of a former Bridge Division employee, Martin Herbers. The records include research and subject files (dated ca. 1914-1990s) concerning bridges throughout the state, including photographs and negatives; originals and photocopies of department reports on bridge maintenance, repairs and renewals; historical information about individual bridges and the surrounding community; maps and architectural drawings. The significance of the collection is the large time span, plus inclusion of bridges state-wide.

 

Acquisitions

1. Legislature. Records (dated ca. 1991-1996) of the Legislative Commission on Children, Youth and Their Families; records (dated ca. 1986-2008) of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty by 2020. 3 boxes.

2. Stearns County. Assessor. Assessment rolls, 1861-1981-1981. 33 boxes, 13 oversize volumes.

3. Stearns County. Auditor. Tax lists, 1859-1981. 244 boxes, 54 oversize volumes.

4. Transportation Department. Bridge Division. Research and subject files (dated ca. 1914-1990s) concerning bridges throughout the state. 11 boxes.

 

Back to Recent Acquisitions.

June 2, 2011