Our Collections

The Local History Collection contains reference materials of interest to genealogists, historical researchers, and other Special Collections patrons. Special attention is given to the history of the Chippewa Valley and the university.

The collection includes:

• Genealogy and local history reference books
• Published histories of cities, counties, churches, organizations
• Microfilm of federal and state manuscript censuses, county histories and atlases
• University yearbooks
• New: Videotapes of university Forum speakers and other campus events, as well as videotapes about the history of the Chippewa Valley

All materials must be used in the Special Collections reading room and are not available for check-out.

Among the items of interest are:

• Wisconsin Blue Book, beginning in 1863
• Eau Claire City Directory, beginning 1880
• The Periscope (UW-Eau Claire student yearbook), 1917-1995
• About 80 monographs concerning Wisconsin agriculture, 1873-1922, comprising the transactions and reports of Wisconsin Horticultural Society, University of Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Wisconsin Farmers Institutes, Wisconsin State Board of Agriculture, and Wisconsin Dairymen's Association
• Wisconsin Historical Collections, texts of 18th- and 19th-century documents owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society with a comprehensive index
• Genealogical how-to and reference works
• Local and regional histories (Eau Claire city and county, Chippewa Valley, western Wisconsin, local communities, etc.)
• History of Wisconsin (Wisconsin Historical Society, 5 vols)

Special Collections & Archives at the McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire holds public records, manuscripts, maps, and other local history resources pertaining to portions of the Chippewa Valley. While our holdings are extensive, they are not exhaustive. We work with other museums, libraries, and repositories to collect, preserve, and make accessible as much of the regional historical record as possible.

To find out more about our holdings, please consult Special Collections & Archives.

Other museums, libraries, and historical agencies in Eau Claire include:

• Chippewa Valley Museum
• L.E. Phillips Public Library
• Genealogical Research Society of Eau Claire
• Paul Bunyan Logging Camp

Regional Area Research Centers include:

• Area Research Center: UW-La Crosse (Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties)
• Area Research Center: UW-River Falls (Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, and Pierce Counties)
• Area Research Center: UW-Stout (Baron, Dunn, and Pepin Counties)

Click here to locate other Wisconsin local historical agencies

The Special Collections Map collection consists mainly of plat books and atlases from the six-county Chippewa Valley region. In addition, there are some Sanborn insurance maps for the city of Eau Claire, as well as other regional cities (on microfilm). Some of these maps are included in the library catalog, but not all. Please check with Special Collections for current holdings.

All materials must be used in the Special Collections reading room and are not available for check-out.

Special Collections + University Archives holds about 500 linear feet of manuscripts. Our manuscript collection includes personal papers (diaries, reminiscences, letters, scrapbooks, etc.), organizational records (membership lists, newsletters, financial records, etc.) and business records (personnel files, correspondence, legal documents, etc.) from the Chippewa Valley from the 1850s to the present.

Information about the manuscript collection may be found by searching the McIntyre Library Catalog (limit search to Special Collections), or ArCat (limit search to the Eau Claire ARC). Some catalog records contain links to online registers or finding aids, which describe the collections in greater detail. Copies of finding aids for most manuscript collections are also available in the Special Collections and Archives reading room.