IAGenWeb Project


Shelby County
IAGenWeb



Genealogical Records Resource List

The Resource List below has addresses and phone numbers. The Cheat Sheet lists the type of records available and where you might find them.



Resource Records Address City Phone Number
Shelby County Courthouse

Shelby County Recorder & Registrar of Vital Statistics

Official County Records Shelby County Recorder
612 Court Street
Room 201
PO Box 67
Harlan, IA 51537-0067 712-755-5640
Harlan Community Library Local Area History 718 Court St Harlan, IA 51537 712-755-5934
Elk Horn Public Library Local Area History 2027 Washington
Box 119
Elk Horn IA 51531 712-764-2013
Shelby County Historical Museum See SCHM website 1805 Morse Harlan, IA 51537 712-755-2437
Museum of Danish America
Archives & artifacts

Genealogy Center located in downtown Elk Horn has obit files, histories, etc.
2212 Washington St Box 178 Elk Horn, IA 51531
M-F:9to5, Sat:10-5, Sun: 12-5
712-764-7001 or
800-759-9192
  Genealogy Center 4210 Main St., P O Box 249 Elk Horn, IA
Hours: May-Oct: Tues-Fri 9-5, Sat 10-5; Nov-Apr: Tues-Fri 10-4
712-764-7008 or
877-764-7008
LDS-Family History Center Many records of genealogical interest
Numerous centers in every state
Locate a Family History Center
Logan, IA FHC:
Bishop's Office
RR 2
Logan, IA 51546
Hours:Tues & Thur, 1:00 to 4:00 and 6:30 to 9:00
712-644-3495
Iowa Genealogical Society IGS Library Collection 6000 Douglas St (by Merle Hay Mall)
PO Box 7735
Des Moines, IA 50322
Library Open 10-4 M,F,Sa and 10-9 T,Th
515-276-0287
Iowa Dept. of Public Health Birth & Death Certificates - Iowa Vital Records Vital Records Section
at 321 E 12th St
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
Open 7:00to5:00 M-F
515-281-4944
State Historical
Society of Iowa
See website, SHSI Library
(2 locations, DSM and IA City)


SHSI Vital Records

600 E Locust Des Moines, IA 50319-0290
Open 9:00-4:30 T-Sat; 12:00-4:30 Sun
515-281-6412
    600 E Locust Des Moines, IA 50319-0290
Library Archives Reading Room
Archives Open 9:00-4:30 T-Sat
515-281-5111
    402 Iowa Ave Iowa City, IA 52240-1806
Open 9:00-4:30 T-Sat
319-335-3916
State Library of Iowa see Library website 1112 East Grand Des Moines, Iowa 50319 515-281-4105
National Archives --
Kansas City Branch
see NARA website
NARA Contact Page
2312 Bannister Rd Kansas City, MO 64131-3011
Open 8-4 M-F, 9-4 3rd Sat ea. mo.
816-926-6920


GENEALOGICAL RECORDS CHEAT SHEET
Available Records Some places to Look
Birth Records Vital Records, FHC, CC, HCL, Churches, SHSI
Death or Burial Records Vital Records, FHC, CC, HCL, Funeral Homes, SHSI, Churches
Mortality Schedules FHC, SHSI
Marriage & Divorce Records Vital Records, CC, NGS, HCL, Churches, DAR, FHC
State & Territorial Census SHSI, FHC, CC, NGS, HCL
Federal Census FHC, NARA, SHSI, NGS
Genealogies SHSI, IGS, NGS, DAR
Military Records NARA, SHSI, State Adjutant General's Office, FHC, CC
Land Records SHSI, FHC, CC
Naturalization and Citizenship SHSI, FHC, CC, NGS
Emigration / Immigration Public and Private Libraries
Church Records Churches, FHC
Court & Probate Records CC-County Clerk, FHC
Newspaper Records SHSI, HCL, NGS
Manuscript Collections SHSI, LC, FHC, HCL
Bible Records SHSI, FHC, Family Records
Biographies SHSI, FHC, IGS, NGS, LC
Histories SHSI, IGS, NGS, LC, HCL
Cemetery Records FHC, NGS, DAR, WPA, Funeral Homes


KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS:   FHC-Family History Center, IGS-Iowa Gen. Society, SHSI-State Hist. Society of Iowa, NARA-Natl Archives, NGS-Nishnabotna Gen. Society, HCL-Harlan Community Library, LC-Library of Congress, DAR-Daughters of the American Revolution, WPA-Work Projects Admin, CC-County Courthouses.