Research in Montana Archives, Libraries, Historical & Genealogical Societies

It is good to acquaint your self with virtually any repository in Montana that you choose to might check out by making contact with to the relevant archive or library in advance.

Many, if not all, Montana repositories contain printed resources that introduce its collections as well as research policy.

Montana archives and historical organizations also provide Internet websites that provide the same information and facts. Several even include down-loadable data for some or parts from the collections.

Montana Archives

Montana Museums

Montana Libraries

  • Montana State Library, P.O. Box 201800, 1515 East 6th Avenue, Helena MT 59620-1800; 406-444-3115; Hours:
    8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
  • My Montana Library - Montana State Library website provides a shared online catalog and library directory for
    libraries throughout the state.

Montana Periodicals

Genealogical journals offer many sources of information, they could be disregarded by genealogy researchers and genealogist in researching for family history. Most regional and county genealogical and/or historical societies issue periodicals that have records associated with the region or surrounding area they operate. Usually these publications carry articles concerning records that aren't readily available elsewhere.

  • Montana: The Magazine of Western History is published quarterly by the Montana Historical Society. Available through the society are two published volumes of indexes to their magazine, one covering 1951 to 1990 and the other 1991 to 2000.
  • The Montana Historical and Genealogical Data Index, compiled by Paulette Parpart and Donald Spritzer. An excellent source for information on newspapers, city and county records, cemetery records, church records, military records, and indexes to local histories and other books, magazines, and newsletters.
  • Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana with its Transactions, published irregularly between 1876 and 1940. Copies are available at the Montana Historical Society. It is an excellent source of history and genealogy.

Montana Historical & Genealogical Societies

For nearly each and every Montana there is a Montana genealogical society, a Montana genealogical council, or both. Besides their own work, Montana-level groups sometimes help synchronize the efforts of local societies around the Montana. Their specific publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those published by the local societies.

Regional and State

  • Montana Historical Society, 225 N. Roberts, P.O. Box 201201; Helena, MT 59601-1201; The Montana Historical Society has served as the official archives for the records of the state of Montana since 1969. In that capacity, it has obtained state and territorial records from 1864 to the present. Box and folder-level inventories are available for processed manuscripts and state records through a keyword searchable database.
  • Montana State Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 555, Chester, MT 59522; The society’s website also has valuable links to local societies statewide.
  • Central Montana Genealogy Society, 701 W. Main Lewistown, Montana 59457-2501; (406) 538-5212

County, Township and City

Religious and Ethnic

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