Local Government Records

Local government records are records in any medium (paper, film, or electronic) created by a county, municipality, or township to conduct their official duties.

The local government records program at KSHS actively assists local government officials in efficiently and economically managing public records; advises local officials on the Kansas Open Records Act as well as other pertinent state/federal statutes; identifies records that document the cultural heritage of the locality and it people; and ensures the preservation of records with enduring value.

The Kansas Historical Society has a few original vital records, primarily on microfilm. Please consult the local records and vital records card catalogs, or the Local Government Records on Microfilm notebooks, or the Local Government Records not on Microfilm in the research room for a list of our holdings. The local records catalog is arranged by county and creator, the notebooks by county. Due to changes in county boundaries or mergers, patrons may need to consult more than one county listing.

Local records are essential to the operation of local government. They provide public servants the information they need to conduct programs, make decisions, and ensure administrative continuity. Local records document the delivery of services, provide legal accountability, give evidence of the responsible management and expenditure of public funds, and document the historical development of government and the community it serves. In short, local records are a public trust, an essential informational resource for local government and its citizens, and an important cultural asset.

People can use the wealth of information contained in local government records to research births, deaths, marriages, divorces, deed records, naturalization records, and estate records among other things.

Helpful Hint: You can start your search by looking at what we have on microfilm.