Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (formerly Illinois State Historical Library) serves as a repository for materials on the state’s political, social, and religious history. In addition to an impressive amount of Abraham Lincoln material, the ALPL holds a premier collection of materials on Illinois' history, including books, original maps, and thousands of boxes of personal papers and other records relating to Illinois' political, business, and cultural leaders.
Illinois Association of Museums
The Illinois Association of Museums, an independent museum network, provides advocacy, promotes best practices, fosters the exchange of ideas, and supports the work of the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, the Association of Midwest Museums, and various other local and regional museum networks across Illinois. It is the recognized voice of, and a valued resource for, the state's diverse museum community. Its members include archives, art galleries, civic governments, educational centers, foundations, historic sites, historical societies, libraries, museums, and nature centers.
Use this link to access a list of members: Museums & Cultural Institutions.
Illinois Counties & Incorporated Municipalities
Directory published in July 2012 by the Illinois Secretary of State.
Illinois Daughters of the American Revolution
Like the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, the Illinois State Organization is dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children.
Illinois Digital Archives
The Illinois Digital Archives (IDA) was created in 2000, as a repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library as well as other libraries and cultural institutions in the State of Illinois. In the IDA collection you will find photographs, slides, glass negatives, oral histories, manuscripts and letters, federal government documents, postcards, posters, videos, newspapers, maps, and much more. Materials in IDA are generally in the Public Domain (no longer under copyright protection). However, some institutions may have received permission from the copyright owner to make the materials available. Many of the collections have a Rights statement in the metadata for each image.
Illinois Heritage Association
The IHA helps to preserve the cultural heritage of Illinois. Its mission is to stimulate an interest in this heritage and to provide technical assistance to organizations and individuals who work to preserve it.
Illinois Historic Group Directory (IHGD)
The Illinois Historic Group Directory was founded to bring history lovers together, promote Illinois local and regional historic assets, to increase public awareness in Illinois of the value of these historic assets, and to educate the public on the importance of history and its continuing relevance for today.
Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution
The Sons of the American Revolution is a lineage organization. Those eligible to join must be 18 years old and able to prove blood descent back to an ancestor who contributed in some way to the cause of American Independence.
Illinois State Archives
The Illinois State Archives serves as the depository of public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent administrative, legal, or historical research values. Its collections do not include manuscript, newspaper, or other nonofficial sources. These records are available to the public, officials, and scholars at the Norton Building in Springfield and at seven regional depositories located on state university campuses throughout Illinois. The Archives provides access through a series of printed and electronic guides, and by in-person, mail, telephone, fax, and Internet database reference services.
Illinois State Genealogical Society
The ISGS was established for the following purposes: to stimulate an interest in the people who contributed to the establishment and development of the State of Illinois; to seek, preserve and make available data pertaining to individuals, families and groups who lived in Illinois, and to events which took place therein; to inform people about the value of, and the need for, preserving family and local history for posterity; and to encourage and support local and regional genealogical societies.
Illinois State Library
The Illinois State Library is the principal information resource for state government. The library maintains a collection of more than 5 million items with strengths in the areas of government and public policy and subscribes to numerous electronic databases and services that allow patrons access to thousands of additional resources. The State Library serves as regional federal documents depository, maintains an authoritative collection of historic and contemporary Illinois documents, and houses more than 185,000 maps. Any citizen may use the Illinois State Library in Springfield or borrow materials through interlibrary loan to another library.
Library of Congress (LC)
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The Library is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. The Library preserves and provides access to a rich, diverse and enduring source of knowledge to inform, inspire and engage you in your intellectual and creative endeavors.
National Archives & Records Administration – Chicago
The National Archives at Chicago holds permanent records created by federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you.
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
DAR is a women’s service organization dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, patriotism and honoring the patriots of the Revolutionary War.
The Newberry Library
A world-renowned independent research library in Chicago, the Newberry offers readers an extensive noncirculating collection of rare books, maps, music, manuscripts, and other printed material spanning six centuries. Its staff provides award-winning service and supports a rich array of programmatic opportunities.
Northeast Document Conservation Center
Founded in 1973, NEDCC is the first independent conservation laboratory in the nation to specialize exclusively in treating collections made of paper or parchment, such as works of art, photographs, books, maps, manuscripts, and more. The Center offers conservation treatment, digital imaging, and audio preservation services, as well as training, consultations, and disaster advice for collections. NEDCC is a trusted resource for information on the preservation of paper-based collections.
Northern Illinois Historic League, Inc.
Mission Statement: To bring history lovers together, and promote Northern Illinois local and regional historic assets; to increase public awareness in Northern Illinois of the value of these historic assets; and, to provide support to Northern Illinois historic organizations who may benefit from an impartial third party to negotiate disputes involving these historic assets, and achieve outcomes.
Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties
This work includes maps showing the original and the present boundary lines of each county of the state. Published by the Illinois Secretary of the State.
Sons of the American Revolution
SAR is dedicated to assisting our members, schools, teachers and the general public in their efforts to sustain and preserve our history and constitutional principles.
State Historic Preservation Office
The State Historic Preservation Office, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resource's Office of Realty and Capital Planning, helps homeowners, businesses and communities preserve their historic resources. Each state and territory has a State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) which is authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Your Guide to Family History and Genealogy at Home
A short guide on how to get started with genealogy and a list of some great resources and descriptions of what they are good for.