Colorado Archives, Libraries & Museums - It is wise to acquaint yourself with any repository which you might visit by writing to the appropriate archive or library in advance. Every repository has published materials that introduce its collections and research policy. State archives and historical agencies also have Internet sites that provide the same information. Some even have downloadable databases for some or parts of their collections.

Archives

• Colorado State Archives, Centenniel Building, 1313 Sherman Street, Rm. 1B-20, Denver, CO 80203; Tel: 303-866-2358, 303-866-2390, 800-305-3442 (Toll-free in Colorado only), Fax: 303-866-2257, E-mail: archives@state.co.us
• National Archives-Rocky Mountain Region, Denver Federal Center, Building 48, West 6th Avenue and Kipling Street, Denver, Colorado 80225-0307.
  Mailing Address: P.O. Box 25307, Denver, Colorado 80225-0307; Tel: 303-236-0817, E-mail: denver.archives@nara.gov, Fax: 303-236-9297
• Chautauqua Association, Archive and History Room, Administration Building, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder, CO 80302; Tel: 303-442-3282, Fax: 303-449-0790
  
• Colorado State University, Special Collections & Archives, Fort Collins, CO 80523; Tel: 970-491-3977 Information, 970-491-1841 Social Sciences/Humanities, 970-491-1882 Government Documents, 970-491-1844 Archives-Voice, Fax:970-491-1195
• Cortez Center, 25 North Market Street, Cortez, CO 81321; Tel: 970-565-1151, Fax: 970-565-4075, E-mail: cultural@fone.net
• Greeley Museums Office, Municipal Archives, 919 Seventh Street, Greeley, CO 80631; Tel: 970/350-9220, Fax: 970/350-9570
  http://www.ci.greeley.co.us/1phase/Cultural/museums.html
• University of Colorado at Boulder Archives, Campus Box 184, Basement, Norlin Library, Boulder, CO 80309; Tel: 303-492-7242, Fax: 303-492-3960, E-mail: arv@colorado.edu
  http://www-libraries.colorado.edu/ps/arv/
• Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Research Archives Library, Tribal Compound, Box CC, Towaoc, CO 81334; Tel: 970-565-3751 x257, Fax: 970-565-7412

Libraries

• Berthoud Public Library, 236 Welch Ave, P.O. Box 1259, Berthoud, CO 80513; Tel: (970)532-2757, Fax: (970)532-4372
  
• Boulder Public Library, 1000 Canyon Blvd., Boulder, CO 80302; Tel: 303-441-3100
• Buena Vista Public Library, 131 Linderman Ave., Buena Vista, CO 81211; Tel: 719-395-8700
• Carnegie Branch Library, Local History Research Center, 1125 Pine Street, Boulder, CO 80302; Tel: 303-441-3110
• Colorado Historical Society, Stephen H. Hart Library, 1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203; Tel: 303-866-3682
• Colorado College, Tutt Library, 1021 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2165; Circulation: (719) 389-6184, Reference: (719) 389-6662, Fax: (719) 389-6859, E-mail: tuttref@coloradocollege.edu
  http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Library/
• Colorado State Library, 201 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80203; Tel: 303-866-6900, Fax: 303-866-6940
  http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_library.htm
• Denver Public Library, 10 West 14th Avenue Pkwy., Denver, CO 80204; Tel: 720-865-1111, Western History Genealogy Department: 720-865-1821
  http://dpl20.denver.lib.co.us/
• Edwin A. Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura Street, Littleton, CO 80120; Tel: 303-795-3961
  http://www.littletongov.org/bemis/
• Estes Park Public Library, P.O. Box 1687, 335 East Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517; Tel: 970-586-8116
  http://estes.lib.co.us/
• Fort Collins Public Library, 201 Peterson Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524; Tel: 970-221-6380 Reference, 970-221-6688 Local History
  http://fcgov.com/library/
• Golden Library, 1019 Tenth Street, Golden, CO 80401; Tel: 303-279-4585
  http://jefferson.lib.co.us/
• Gunnison County Public Library, Ann Zugelder Library, 307 North Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230; Tel: (970) 641-3485, Fax: (970) 641-4653
  http://www.co.gunnison.co.us/Library/library.html
• Lakewood Library, 10200 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood, CO 80215; Tel: 303-232-9507
  http://jefferson.lib.co.us/
• Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Avenue, Loveland, CO 80537; Tel: 970-962-2665
  http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/Library/libmain.htm
• Montrose Public Library, 320 South 2nd Street Montrose, CO 81401
  http://www.colosys.net/montrose/#
• Phillip S. Miller Branch Library, 961 South Plum Creek Boulevard, Castle Rock, CO 80104; Tel: (303) 814-0795, Fax: (303) 688-1942, E-mail: dpldlhc@mail.douglas.lib.co.us
  http://history.douglas.lib.co.us/lhcinfo/index.htm
• Norlin Library, 184 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0184; Tel: 303-492-8705; 303-492-8834 (Government Publications Library), E-mail: libweb@colorado.edu
  http://www-libraries.colorado.edu/ps/nor/frontpage.htm
• Penrose Public Library, 20 N. Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO 80903; Tel: 719-531-6333, Fax: 719-528-5289
  http://library.ppld.org/SpecialCollections/default.asp
• Pueblo Regional Library, 100 Abriendo Ave., Pueblo, CO 81004; Tel: 719-543-9600
• Salida Regional Library,405 E Street, Salida, CO 81201; Tel: 719-539-4826
• Sisson Memorial Library, 811 San Juan, P.O. Box 849, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147; Tel: 970-264-2209
  http://www.frontier.net/~ruby/
• Southern Peaks Public Library, 423 Fourth Street, Alamosa, CO 81101; Tel: 719-589-6592
• Southern Ute Community Library, 330 Burns Avenue, Ignacio, CO 81137-0348; Tel: 970-563-0235, Fax: 970-563-0382
• Stagecoach Library, 1840 S. Wolcott Ct., Denver, CO 80219; Tel: (303)922-8856
• Standley Lake Library, 8485 Kipling Street, Arvada, CO 80005; Tel: 303-456-0806
  http://jefferson.lib.co.us/
• Weld County Library, 2227 23rd Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634; Tel: 970-330-7691
  http://www.weld.lib.co.us/
• Wellington Public Library, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO 80549; Tel: 970-568-3040

Museums

• Animas Museum, 31st Street & West Second Avenue, Durango, CO 81301
  Mailing address:Box 3384, Durango, CO 81302; Tel: (970) 259-2402
  http://www.frontier.net/~animasmuseum/index.html
• Aurora History Museum/Library, 15001 E. Alameda Drive, Aurora, CO 80012; Tel: 303-739-6660
  http://www.ci.aurora.co.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=sec_sub_articles&sectionid=1&SubSectionid=92
• Boulder Museum of History, 1206 Euclid Ave., Boulder, CO 80302; Tel: 303-449-3464
  http://bcn.boulder.co.us/arts/bmh/
• Buena Vista Heritage Museum, 512 E. Main, P.O. Box 1414, Buena Vista, CO 81211; Tel: 719-395-8458
• Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, 215 South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903; Tel: 719-385-5990, Fax: 719-385-6545
  http://www.springsgov.com/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=9
• Estes Park Area Historical Museum, 200 Fourth Street, Estes Park, CO 80517; Tel: 970-586-6256
  http://www.estesnet.com/Museum/
• Fort Collins Museum, 200 Mathews, Fort Collins, CO 80524; Tel: 970-221-6738
  http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/museum/
• Fort Morgan Museum, 414 Main Street, Fort Morgan, Colorado 80701; (970) 867-6331
  http://www.ftmorganmus.org/
• High Plains Historical Society/Museum, 775 3rd Street, P.O. Box 122, Nunn, Colorado 80648; Tel: 970-897-2215
  http://highplainshistory.homestead.com/
• Loveland Museum and Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland, CO 80537; Tel: 970-962-2410
  http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/museum.htm
• Morrison Heritage Museum, 501 Highway 8, P.O. Box 564, Morrison, CO 80465; Tel: 303-697-1873
  http://town.morrison.co.us/historical/mhm.html, Historic Morrison website: http://town.morrison.co.us/historical/families.html
• Salida Museum, Salida Chamber of Commerce, 406 W. Highway 50, Salida, CO 81201; Tel: 719-539-2068

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   "Genealogists are generally positive and energetic, and most are ready to share their findings or research experience with anyone they can help. There are hundreds of genealogical societies at the grass-roots level. Knowledge of the genealogical community will place you in the midst of much activity, increase your productivity, and alert you to the importance of research standards and etiquette."
Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, Editor of FGS Forum,
Co-editor of The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy

Colorado Historical & Genealogical Societies -  Because family history research relies greatly upon records found at the county level, many local societies represent counties. Organizations also form around shared interests. Ethnic or religious origins account for many groups, such as the Polish Genealogical Society of America and P.O.I.N.T. (Pursuing Our Italian Names Together). Societies also form around common locales of origin for members’ ancestors; hence, the Palatines to America and Germans from Russia societies.

For almost every state there is a state genealogical society, a state genealogical council, or both. In addition to their own work, state-level groups sometimes help coordinate the efforts of local societies within the state. Their publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those produced by the local societies.

• Colorado Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 9218, Denver, CO 80209-0218 or E-mail the Society at info@cogensoc.us
• Daughters of the British Empire
• International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry, P.O. BOX 436937, CHICAGO, IL 60643-6937; Phone: (773) 238-2686
• Colorado Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006; Phone: (202) 628-1776
• Colorado Society of Sons of the American Revolution
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776

Genealogical Societies

• Archuleta County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1611, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cosjhs/acgs.htm
• Aurora Genealogical Society of Colorado, 1298 Peoria Street, P.O. Box 31732, Aurora, CO 80041-0732
• Boulder Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3246, Boulder, CO 80307-3246
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~bgs/
• Brighton Genealogy Society, 343 S. 21st Street, Brighton, CO 80602-2525
• Colorado Association of Professional Genealogists, P.O. Box 740637, Arvada, CO 80006-0637
  Colorado Cornish Cousins, 7945 S. Gaylord Way, Littleton, CO 80122
  http://users.idcomm.com/trevithick/
• Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies, P.O. Box 24379, Denver, CO 80224-0379
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~coccgs/
• Colorado Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 9218, Denver, CO 80209-0218; Tel: 303-571-1535
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cocgs/index.htm
• Colorado Genealogical Society, Computer Interest Group, http://www.rootsweb.com/~cocgs/cigmain.htm
• Columbine Genealogical and Historical Society, P.O. Box 2074, Littleton, CO 80161-2074
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cocghs/
• Estes Park Genealogical Society, 2598 Big Thompson, Drake, CO 80515
• Foothills Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 150382, Lakewood, CO 80215-0382
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cofgs/
• Four Corners Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 2636, Durango, CO 81302
• Fore-Kin Trails Genealogical Society, 8508 High Mesa Road, Olathe, CO 81425
• Fremont County Genealogical Society, 1836 Flora Court, Canon City, CO 81212
• Fremont County Genealogy Society, Canon City Public Library, 516 Macon Ave, Canon City 81218
• Genealogical Research Society of Durango, 2720 Delwood, Durango, CO 81301
• Larimer County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 9502, Fort Collins, CO 80525-9502
  http://jymis.com/~lcgs/index.htm
• Longmont Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 6081, Longmont, CO 80501-2077
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~colgs/index.htm/
• Mesa County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1506, Grand Junction, CO 81502-1506; Tel: (970)242-0971; E-mail: webmaster@MCGS
  http://www.gj.net/mcgs/
• Mountain Genealogists, 19637 Hill Drive, Morrison, CO 80465
• Ohio Genealogical Society, Colorado Chapter, P.O. Box 1106, Longmont, CO 80502-1106
  http://www.ogs.org/chap.htm
• Pikes Peak Genealogical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1262, Colorado Springs, CO 80901
  http://www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/ viewmember.asp?societyid=160
• Prowers County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 928, Lamar, CO 81052-0928
• Sedgewick County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 86, Julesburg, CO 80737
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cosedgwi/society.htm
• Southeastern Colorado Genealogy Society, Inc., P.O. Box 4207, Pueblo, CO 81003-0207
• Weld County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 278, Greeley, CO 80632
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~cowcgs/
• Yuma County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 24, Yuma, CO 80759

Historical Societies

• Colorado Historical Society, Stephen H. Hart Library, 1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203; Tel: 303-866-3682
  http://www.coloradohistory.org/
• Douglas County Historical Society, 620 Lewis, Castle Rock, CO 80104
• Eagle County Historical Society, P.O. Box 192, Eagle, CO 81631
• Fort Collins Historical Society, 121 North Grant Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521
• Frontier Historical Society, 1001 Colorado Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
  http://www.glenwoodguide.com/museum/
• High Plains Historical Society/Museum, 775 3rd Street, P.O. Box 122, Nunn, Colorado 80648; Tel: 970-897-2215
  http://highplainshistory.homestead.com/
• Johnstown Historical Society, 701 Charlotte St., Johnstown, Colorado 80534; Tel: 970-587-0278
  http://www.geocities.com/johnstownhistoricalsociety/
• La Plata County Historical Society, P.O. Box 3384, Durango, CO 81302; Tel: (970) 259-2402
  http://www.frontier.net/~animasmuseum/about.html
• Larimer County Historic Alliance, 3711 N. Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins, CO 80524
• Mesa County Historical Society, P.O. Box 841, Grand Junction, CO 81502
• Museum of Western Colorado, Research Center and Special Library, 462 Ute Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81501
  Mailing Address: P. O. Box 20000 81502-5020; Tel: 970-242-0971, Fax: 970-242-3960
  http://www.wcmuseum.org/
• Old Colorado City Historical Society, One South 24th Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904-3319; Tel: 719-636-1225, E-mail: history@oldcolo.com
  http://history.oldcolo.com/
• Pioneer Association/Pioneer Women, Donath Lake Farm, 8420 South Co. Road 13, Fort Collins, CO 80525
• Pueblo County Historical Society, Vail Hotel, 217 South Grand, Pueblo, CO 81003; Tel: 719-543-6772
  http://www.puebloonline.com/pchs/
• South Park Historical Foundation, South Park City Museum, 100 Fourth Street, P.O. Box 634, Fairplay, CO 80440; Tel: 719-836-2387
• Summit County Historical Society, 309 North Main, Breckenridge, CO 97045-9022
• Wheat Ridge Historical Society, 4610 Robb St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80034
  Mail: P.O. Box 1833, Wheat Ridge, CO 80034; Tel: 303-467-0023
  E-mail: Cworth1234@aol.com
  http://www.virtualref.com/_slic/126.htm

Ethnic Societies

• American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Denver Metro Research Room and Library, 2727 Bryant Street, Room L4, Denver, CO 80211; Tel: (303) 455-2727
  http://www.ahsgr.org/codenver.htm
• American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Northern Colorado Chapter, 1476 43rd Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634; Tel: 970-353-3612
  http://www.ahsgr.org/conorthe.html
• Negro Historical Association of Colorado Springs, (NHACS), 5180 Mountain Villa Grove, Colorado Springs, CO 80917; 719-574-8332
• Scottish Society of Northern Colorado, 3200 Silverthorn Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80526
• Black Genealogy Search Group, P.O. Box 40674, Denver, CO 80204-0674
  http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/bgsg_den.htm
• Czech and Slovak Search Group, 209 S. Ogden, Denver, CO 80209-2321
• Genealogical Society of Hispanic America, P.O. Box 9606, Denver, CO 80209-0606
  http://members.aol.com/mrosado007/co.htm
• Jewish Genealogical Society of Colorado, 6965 E. Girard Ave., Denver, CO 80224
  http://www.jewishgen.org/jgs-colorado/index.html
• Palatines to America, Colorado Chapter, 4612 Hampshire St., Boulder, CO 80301-4211;
  Tel: 303-530-9525
• Slovenian Genealogy Society, Colorado Chapter, 837 Swiggler Road, Jefferson, CO 90456-9732
• WISE Search Group (Wales, Ireland, Scotland,England), P.O. Box 48226, Denver CO 80204-8226

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Colorado Genealogical Publications - The Colorado Magazine, published by the State Historical Society of Colorado from 1923, and called Heritage after 1979, contains excellent background material for understanding Colorado family history in the context of local history.

The Colorado Genealogical Society has published The Colorado Genealogist since 1939. The subject index for volumes 1–42 was compiled in 1982 by Kay R. Merrill and is very helpful in locating published county records. Every-name indexes to the journal are also available.

Other periodicals include: quarterlies from the Boulder Genealogical Society, Genealogical Society of Weld County, Southeastern Colorado Genealogical Society; and The Foothills Inquirer published by the Foothills Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 15382, Lakewood, Colorado 80215.  [ see specific county page for individual county list ]

• Search The PERiodical Source Index

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Colorado Newspapers - While records of birth, marriage, and death are the most commonly sought and the most consistently helpful records, only the genealogist’s imagination and resourcefulness limit newspapers’ usefulness in supplying clues about historical events, local history, probate court and legal notices, real estate transactions, political biographies, announcements, notices of new and terminated partnerships, business advertisements, and notices for settling debts.

   Newspapers can provide at least a partial substitute for nonexistent civil records. For example, a person’s obituary may have appeared in a newspaper even when civil death records for that person do not exist. And newspapers are an important source of marriage records, particularly in those states where civil recording of marriages was essentially nonexistent until the twentieth century.

   Unlike official records, newspapers are not limited to a particular geographical area. They often include reports of the weddings of local citizens (even those that occurred in a neighboring county or another state), and they sometimes report visits of geographically distant relatives or the visits of former local residents. They often published death notices of individuals who had left the area long before but who still had local family or friends as well. In each case the newspaper account can identify the date and place of an event, thus opening the possibility of turning up additional documentation in other sources.

   The first step in searching a newspaper is to identify those which served the area of interest and which have survived. The three most necessary tools are bibliographies (What was published?), inventories of library and depository holdings (Where is it?), and indexes (How do I find what I want in it?).

One of the first serious indications of settlement is the formation of a newspaper, and the first issue of The Rocky Mountain News was printed on 23 April 1859. The most extensive newspaper collections are housed at the Colorado Historical Society, the Denver Public Library, and Norlin Library of University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309. There is an unpublished card index to The Rocky Mountain News 1865–85 at the Western History Collection at Denver Public Library. This library also holds an obituary file for The Denver Post and The Rocky Mountain News beginning in 1939 and includes a few earlier records. These will be searched by library staff for a fee. Microfilm of the newspaper collection at the Colorado Historical Society is available for purchase. The most recent price was $22 per roll.

Two helpful aids to the researcher are Donald E. Oehlerts, comp., Guide to Colorado Newspapers 1859–1963 (Denver, Colo.: Bibliographic Center for Research, 1964), and Walter R. Griffin and Jay L. Rasmussen, “A Comprehensive Guide to the Location of Published and Unpublished Newspaper Indexes in Colorado Repositories,” The Colorado Magazine 72 (Fall 1972): 328–39.

• Search Historical Newspapers at Ancestry.com
• Find your family history In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive! Find News, Births and Deaths - Find tens of millions of historical newspaper articles, dating back to 1759. Search for newspaper articles about a deadly earthquake or one that mentions a past relative. Newspaper articles are easily accessible with online research tools.
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
• Search Historical Newspapers (1690 - 1980) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Colorado Historical Society, Stephen H. Hart Library, 1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203; Tel: 303-866-3682
  http://www.coloradohistory.org/
• Denver Public Library, 10 West 14th Avenue Pkwy., Denver, CO 80204; Tel: 720-865-1111
  Western History Genealogy Department: 720-865-1821
  http://dpl20.denver.lib.co.us/
• Norlin Library, 184 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0184; Tel: 303-492-8705, 303-492-8834 (Government Publications Library), E-mail: libweb@colorado.edu
  http://www-libraries.colorado.edu/ps/nor/frontpage.htm

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