MO Resources

Below are resources I have found useful in my family history research in the state of Missouri .  There is a heavy focus on the St. Louis area, as that is where the majority of my research has occurred, though I have included information on resources that are pertinent to other areas in the state.
  • Jackson County, MO Dept of Records
    Jackson County contains Kansas City and surrounding areas. Their Dept of Records website contains a few record databases.  Their marriage records (applications and licenses) are online, up to current day and back to 1826, and Real Estate filings are online back to 1964.
  • Missouri Sanborn Maps
    "The Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Company, established in 1867, compiled and published maps of U.S. cities and towns for the fire insurance industry to assess the risk of insuring a particular property. The maps are large scale plans of a city or town drawn at a scale of 50 feet to an inch, offering detailed information on the use made of commercial and industrial buildings, their size, shape and construction material. Some residential areas are also mapped. The maps show location of water mains, fire alarms and fire hydrants. They are color-coded to identify the structure (adobe, frame, brick, stone, iron) of each building."

    These maps are great resources to learn more about the neighborhood your ancestors grew up in. Since street names can change, and renumbering can occur, these maps can tell you where exactly your family lived. Additionally, churches, schools, and some businesses are often named. 
  • Missouri History Museum's Genealogy and Local History Index
    "The index contains references to personal and corporate names (primarily St. Louisans and St. Louis businesses) that appear in selected library, archives, and photograph collections. If you find a reference in the index, you may request a photocopy of the item."   
  • St. Louis County Library Special Collections
    An index to the collections available at the headquarters branch of the St. Louis County Library. While the collections themselves aren't online, and you will have to go to the library and look at microfilm, the collection is extensive and vital to any family history research that takes you through the St. Louis area 
  • St. Louis Globe Democrat Morgue (1930-1986)
    An index (in progress) to the extensive Clippings file the Globe Democrat gave to the University of Missouri upon its demise.
  • Genealogy in St. Louis
    Managed by St. Louis genealogist, Dave Lossos, this site contains further links to local informational resources, as well as several transcription projects.

  • Time Portal to Old St. Louis
    Part of the US Genealogy Network (USGenNet) this site contains a lot of historical information and photographs.

  • St. Louis Housing Conditions in 1908 - a report of the Civic League of St. Louis. (Download PDF) (Read online)

    This report, 90 pages in length, details disturbing conditions in tenements on OFallon, Biddle, Morgan, Wash and Carr from 7th to 14th streets. Contains photographs.

  • 1930 St. Louis Jewish Orphans Home (a transcription from the 1930 census)

Genealogy and Historical Societies

While there is a lot of information available online, genealogical and historical societies can be beneficial in several ways. First, you may discover a cousin you didn't know about there researching the same family lines you are. Second, there are other genealogists with experience researching that may know about resources you haven't yet learned about.