Local History & Genealogy

Interested in learning more about Calhoun County, the historic town of Marshall, or your family’s history? The library is a great place to start your search and here at the Marshall District Library we offer a wealth of local history and genealogy resources. Some of our materials include:

  • Marshall newspapers from 1838 to 2020, available on microfilm and online. Recent newspapers available in print. All papers are digitized and searchable through our online newspaper database.
  • Some marriage (1836-1915) and death (1867-1933) records for Calhoun County.
  • Free access to Ancestry, Library Edition.
  • Our Local History Archive contains scans of items like Marshall High School yearbooks, city directories, and church records. Check back regularly for new additions!
  • An extensive collection of area family histories.
  • The Michigan Pioneer Collection.
  • Select church records, available on microfilm.
  • Calhoun County atlases and plat maps from 1858 to 2020 (incomplete collection, please call us if you are looking for a certain year).
  • City directories and cross-county indexes from 1860 to present (incomplete collection, please call us if you are looking for a certain year).
  • High school yearbooks from 1899 to present.
  • Cemetery record indexes for most Marshall-area cemeteries.
  • Current city budget reports and city ordinances, as well as other Marshall reports and documents.
  • Sanborn fire insurance maps from 1888 to 1931 available on microfilm.
  • The Homer Index, 1874-1903 (incomplete collection) available on microfilm.

To ask a question or schedule an in-person meeting for assistance using our microfilm machine or databases, please contact our local history and genealogy librarian:

Chelsea Heisler
269-781-7821 ext. 2300