Southwest Minnesota Historical Center

This collection began in 1972 as a joint venture of the Minnesota Historical Society and members of the History Department of Southwest Minnesota State University. The collection is now housed in and under the purview of the McFarland Library.

This public records repository was established to serve 15 counties in southwestern Minnesota and is one of eight regional research centers in the state of Minnesota. Materials in this collection include public/government records, business records, church records, oral history interviews, and local newspapers. This collection does not circulate.  

These materials are only available for use by appointment. To schedule an appointment to use materials in the Historical Center or to ask questions about the collection, contact Pam Gladis, Systems & Archives Librarian at pam.gladis@smsu.edu or 507/537-6813. See the Archives Policies page to help prepare for your visit.