The Neenah Public Library can assist you with your genealogical research. The Library has local newspapers on microfilm for most years dating back to 1856. City directory coverage for Neenah and Menasha dates back to 1900. The library also has directories for the cities of Oshkosh and Appleton and the counties of Winnebago and Outagamie. The library has most phone books for Neenah-Menasha area from 1924 to present. Please call the library to inquire about a specific year. The Library has the Federal Census microfilm for Winnebago County covering the years 1840-1880 and 1900-1920. In addition the library owns local and state histories. If we do not have a particular book or resource that is needed for your research we may be able to obtain it for you through our Interlibrary Loan service. If you have any questions regarding our collection or if you have a search request you may contact us at (920) 886-6315. Copies are 25 cents per page plus postage.
If you prefer to write, our address is:
- Neenah Public Library
- P.O. Box 569
- Neenah, WI 54957-0569
You may also contact us by E-mail
Listed below are some of the resources available to you at the Neenah Public Library.
Ancestry Library Edition (available at the library only)
Find census data, immigration records, military draft records, probate information, and much, much more! Ask at the 2nd floor Reference Desk for assistance.
Heritage Quest
Find ancestors and relatives in the U.S. Federal Census from 1790-1880, 1900-1930 and find information on people and places described in over 25,000 family and local histories. A valid Neenah Public Library card is needed to use Heritage Quest outside of the library.
Neenah Public Library Digital Collection
The Neenah Public Library’s digital collection presents the history of Neenah primarily from the early 1800’s to the 1950’s. The two Neenah histories highlight the development and important events of Neenah from pre-settlement to the late 1950’s. The 1920 and 1924 directories provide valuable information to genealogists, while the searchable photograph collection captures life in the Neenah area from the mid-1800’s to the 1950’s. Neenah’s digital collection will be of use to local historians, students, genealogists, and anyone interested in the history of Neenah!
Federal Census
The Federal Census can provide valuable information for the genealogical researcher. For information on what type of data is provided on the various Census Records see Census Records from the National Archives and Records Administration. The 1890 census for most of the United States including Wisconsin is not available due to a fire that destroyed most of the records.
The Neenah Public Library has the following federal Census Records for Winnebago County:
1840 Winnebago County
1850 Winnebago County
1860 Winnebago County
1870 Winnebago County
1880 Winnebago County
1900 Winnebago County
1910 Winnebago County
1920 Winnebago County
1930 Winnebago County
City Directories
The library has Neenah/Menasha City Directories for the following years:
1900, 1905
1910, 1914
1920, 1924, 1928
1931, 1934, 1937
1940, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948
1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1959
1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969
1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979
1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019-Current
Online city directories for Neenah/Menasha can be found at:
Neenah Public Library Digital Collection (1920, 1924, 1928, 1931, 1934, 1937, and 1939)
Oshkosh Public Library-Online City Directories (Neenah/Menasha listings include 1893, 1895, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1914)
Newspapers
- Menasha Conservator
- May 14, 1856-March 17, 1860
Weekly Manufacturer
June 6, 1861-July 24, 1862
Island City Times- October 22, 1863-January 15, 1870
Winnebago County Press
January 22, 1870-December 30, 1871
Neenah Gazette- December 23, 1871-September 4, 1880
- February 19, 1881-July 22, 1882
Neenah City News- October 16, 1875-January 29, 1876
Neenah City Times- February 5, 1876-December 29, 1883
- June 28, 1884-December 6, 1884
Neenah Daily Times- August 8, 1882-December 30, 1882
- July 2, 1883-December 31, 1883
- June 28, 1884-December 16, 1884
- January 1, 1885-May 17, 1919
Twin Cities News- February 11, 1895-May 14, 1895
Neenah News Times- May 19, 1919-December 31, 1943
The Daily News Times- January 3, 1944-December 31, 1949
Twin Cities News Record- January 1950-May 1984
Post-Crescent- 1950-Current
Neenah Citizen- March 3, 1995-Current
Obituary Indexes
The Neenah Public Library has obituary indexes for the following dates:
- May 14, 1856-March 17, 1860 The library does not have microfilm between March 18, 1860 and October 21, 1863.
- October 22, 1863-November 10, 1864
- Neenah Obituary Index 1872-1970
Neenah-Menasha World War II Military Database
During the Second World War, the Daily News-Times reported on many Neenah-Menasha men and women military personnel in a column “…at the Front…and in Camp.” The database indexes the column and other stories on military members from December 1941 through 1946.
The information on an individual can range from entering the military, training news, promotions, awards, a trip home on leave, casualties, specific activity overseas, and date of discharge.
The database is not yet available to the public for searching, however, you may submit a name and branch of service (if known) using the form below. We will email you a copy of the article or articles, within fourteen days.
Vital Records
Pre-1907 Vital Records-Wisconsin Historical Society
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 1, 1831-1886, Revised Edition, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2002.
929.3 W834b v.1 1831-1886 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 2, 1887-1891, Revised Edition, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2002.
929.3 W834b v.2 1887-1891 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 3, 1892-1895, Revised Edition, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2002.
929.3 W834b v.3 1892-1895 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 4, 1896-1900, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2003.
929.3 W834b v.4 1896-1900 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 5 1901-1905, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2010.
929.3 W834b v.5 1901-1905 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 6 1906-1910, Winnebagoland Geanealogical Society, 2011.
929.3 W834b v.6 1906-1910 (Ref Desk)
Index to Birth Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 7 1911-1915, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2016.
929.3 W834b v.7 1911-1915 (Ref Desk)
Index to Death Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 1, 1842-1897. Wollangk, Judith Ann., Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 1998.
929.3 W834i (Ref Desk)
Index to Death Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 2, 1898-1912 . Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2004.
929.3 W834i v.2 (Ref Desk)
Index to Death Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 3, 1913-1927. Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 2016.
929.3 W834i v.3 (Ref Desk)
Index to Marriage Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 1, 1848-1874. Protz, Ruth Liskow., Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 1994.
929.3 P946i, vol. 1 (Ref Desk)
Index to Marriage Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 2, 1875-1891, Rev. ed. Protz, Ruth Liskow., Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 1998.
929.3 P946i, v.2 (Ref Desk)
Index to Marriage Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 3, 1892-1902. Protz, Ruth Liskow., Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 1998.
929.3 P946i, vol. 3 (Ref Desk)
Index to Marriage Records Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 4, 1903-1912. Protz, Ruth Liskow., Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, 1998.
929.3 P946i, vol. 4 (Ref Desk)
The Neenah Public Library also provides vital records indexes on microfiche. The indexes are from the State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.
BIRTH INDEX MICROFICHE
- Pre-1907 Alphabetical Index
- Pre-1907 Chronological Index
DEATH INDEX MICROFICHE
- Pre-1907 Alphabetical
- 1959-1979 Alphabetical
- 1979-1997 Alphabetical
MARRIAGE INDEX MICROFICHE (Adams through Price County)
- Pre-1907 Alphabetical
- 1973-1978 Groom
- 1979-1997 Groom
- 1973-1978 Bride
- 1979-1997 Bride
DIVORCE INDEX MICROFICHE
- 1965-1984 Alphabetical
Cemetery Records
Oak Hill Cemetery Burial Records
Searchable online database provided by the City of Neenah. The Oak Hill Cemetery is owned and maintained by the City of Neenah since 1848.
St. Patrick's Historic Cemetery. Martin, Sylvia Shea., St. Patrick's Parish, 1997.
This source indexes information from stones, monuments and markers at the St. Patrick's Cemetery in the Town of Menasha.
Local Hist 929.5 Sa24
Neenah Histories
The Emerging Cities: Menasha, Neenah: Stories of the 19th Century. Citizen Printing & Publishing Co., 1998.
977.564 N293
Factories in the Valley: Neenah-Menasha, 1870-1915. Glaab, Charles N., State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1969.
977.54 G45
A History of Neenah. Shattuck, S.F., 1958.
977.54 Sh2
History of Neenah, illustrated: Being a Complete Historical Sketch from the "Early Days" to the Present Time. Cunningham, G. A., Gazette Printing Establishment, 1878.
977.54 C91
Millstone and Saw; the Origins of Neenah-Menasha. Smith, Alice E., State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1966.
977.54 Sm51
A Tale of Twin Cities; or the Development of the Fox River Waterway. Neenah Historical Society, 1993.
977.564 T143
County Histories
History of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, and Early History of the Northwest. Harney, Richard J., 1880.
Local Hist 977.564 H22
The History of Winnebago County & the Fox River Valley, 1541-1877. Thwaites, Reuben Gold., The County, 1984.
Local Hist 977.56 T428h
History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: its Cities, Towns, Resources, People. Lawson, Publius V., 1908.
Local Hist 977.564 L44, 2vols.
In This Century: a History of Winnebago County in the 20th Century. Engel, Dave., New Past Press, 1998.
977.564 In1 and Local Hist
Regional Histories
History of Northern Wisconsin, Containing an Account of its Settlement, Growth, Development, and Resources. Western Historical Company, 1881.
Local Hist 977.5 W52
History of the Fox River Valley, Lake Winnebago , and the Green Bay Region. Titus, William A., S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1930.
977.56 H629, 3 vols., and Local Hist
The Winnebago-Horicon Basin: a Type Study in Western History. Schafer, Joseph., State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1937.
Local Hist 977.56 Sch1w
Civil War Soldiers of Winnebago County
Civil War Veterans of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 1, A-H. Langkau, David A., Heritage Books Inc., 1993.
Local Hist 973.76097756 L265c
Civil War Veterans of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Volume 2, I-T. Langkau, David A., Heritage Books Inc., 1994.
Local Hist 973.76097756 L265c
Plat Maps
Illustrated Atlas of Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Randall, George A., 1889. Local Hist 917.75 IL5w (Storage)
Map and Plat Book of Winnebago County Wisconsin. Gorman & Soudea, 1909.
Local Hist 912.77564 M32 1909 (Storage)
Atlas of Winnebago County, Wisconsin. W.W. Hixson & Co., 1928.
Local Hist 912.77564 At65 (Storage)
The library also has plat maps for Winnebago County, Wisconsin for the following years: 1963-1966, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2016, and 2021.
Neenah High School Yearbooks
Neenah High School Yearbooks are located in the Local History Room, under the call number Local Hist 370 R591. The library has the following years: 1919-1920, 1922, 1928, 1930, 1937-2023.
Research Guide
A Research Guide to Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Winnebagoland Genealogical Society, Rev. ed., 2009.
Local Hist 929.377564 P946r 2009
This is a very helpful research tool you may wish to consult before you begin your genealogical research in Winnebago County.
Sources of information
Diocese of Green Bay-Genealogical Research
Archives
Diocese of Green Bay
P.O. Box 23825
Green Bay WI 54305-3825
jledoux@gbdioc.org
NEENAH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
343 Smith Street
P. O. Box 343
Neenah, WI, 54957-0343
920-729-0244
neenahhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Oshkosh Public Library
106 Washington Ave.
Oshkosh, WI 54901-4895
(920)236-5000
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Area Research Center
Forrest R. Polk Library
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
800 Algoma Boulevard
Oshkosh, WI 54901
(920)424-0828 or (920)424-7573
WINNEBAGO COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Register of Deeds
Box 2808
415 Jackson St.
Oshkosh, WI 54903
(920)236-4882
WINNEBAGOLAND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
PO Box 2124
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2124
(920)231-0745
Wisconsin Department of Health & Family Services-Vital Records
Vital Records
P.O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701-0309
(608)266-1371, (608)266-1372
Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 264-6400