resources
delve into the past......
The HCFC Library collections accommodate amateur genealogists to professional historians. Visit our RESEARCH page for fees and how to make a research request.
Resources include but are not limited to:
Freeborn County history books (1882, 1911, 1988)
Local newspapers
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Albert Lea Enterprise (1872 – 1905)
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Albert Lea Examiner (1919 – 1922)
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Albert Lea Posten (1883 – 1885)
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Albert Lea Tribune (1897 – 2022)
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Alden Advance (1897 – 2022)
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Alden Eagle (1879 – 1880)
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Bancroft Pioneer (1858)
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Emmons Leader (1902 – 1905, 1925 – 1981)
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Freeborn County Eagle (1858 – 1860)
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Freeborn County Standard (1860 – 1931)
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Freeborn County Times (1895 – 1905)
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Freeborn County Register (1993 – 1995)
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Freeborn Herald (1860 and 1861)
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Freeborn Patriot (1934 – 1937)
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Hartland Herald (1907 – 1924, 1928)
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Glenville Leader-Press (1981 – 1992)
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Glenville Progress (1903 – 1961)
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Semi-weekly Tribune (1902 – 1908)
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Shellrock Press (1976 – 1981)
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Times-Emterprise (1905 – 1923)
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Southern Minnesota Star (1857 – 1858)
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The Weekly Review (1991 – 1993)
Newspaper index
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The Times, Enterprise, Standard, Times-Enterprise (1865 – 1931) – items indexed include birth, death, marriage, anniversary, divorce, birthday, probate, biographical sketches, and baptism notices
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Hartland Herald—items include births, deaths, marriages, and probates
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Emmons Leader – items include births, deaths, marriages, and probates
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Alden Advance – items include births, deaths, marriages, and probates
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Glenville Progress—items include births, deaths, marriages, and probates
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Vital records (birth, death, marriage), (end dates vary by record type)
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Marriage Books A – G (1857 – 1917)
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Marriage Records (1917 – 1953)
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General Index - Deeds - Grantor & Grantee Vol. 1 – 8 (1857 – 1920)
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General Index - Mortgages - Grantor & Grantee Vol. 1 – 7 (1857 – 1916)
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Record of Wills (1857 – 1925)
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Obituary index for the Enterprise, Tribune, Standard, Times, Times-Enterprise
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Obituary clippings notebooks
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Index to Deaths (1870 – 1959)
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Birth index (1870 – 1921)
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Funeral Home records
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Probate and Guardianship records
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Plat maps
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Plat maps for Freeborn County: 1874 to date
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Name index for: 1878, 1895, 1901, 1913, and 1928
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City directories (1899 to date)
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Telephone books for Albert Lea (1905 to date)
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Insurance maps for Albert Lea (1884 – 1931)
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High school yearbooks
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Albert Lea High School (1913-2020)
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Alden High School (1946-1949, 1951, 1964-1966, 1980, 1984-1986)
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Alden-Conger High School (1989-1991, 1995-1996, 1998, 2001-2004, 2006-2010, 2013-
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2014)
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Emmons High School (1950, 1961-1963, 1965-1968, 1970,1973-1978, 1980-1981, 1983-1988)
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Freeborn High School (1927-1987)
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Glenville High School (1957-1973)
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Cemetery transcripts for Freeborn County
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Surname index to the cemetery transcripts
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Federal census
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State census
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Scrapbooks
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Photographs of people, places and events
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Oral Histories
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Church histories and records
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Family histories and genealogies
Southern Minnesota newspapers available on microfilm (Faribault, Mower, Steele & Waseca Counties)
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Blooming Prairie Times (1897, 1898–1899, 1901, 1917–1988)
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Blooming Prairie News (1989 – 1993)
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Bricelyn Sentinel (1899–1909, 1911–1981)
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Ellendale Eagle (1901–02, 1904–1918, 1919–2007)
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Kiester Courier (1905, 1907 – 1981)
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Lyle Tribune (1897 – 1903)
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New Richland Review (1884 – 1885)
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New Richland North Star (1886 – 1906)
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New Richland Star (1906 – 2007)
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New Richland Star Eagle (2007 – 2008)
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Owatonna People’s Press (weekly) (1888 – 1921)
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Wells Atlas (1870 – 1875)
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Wells Faribault County Leader (1874 – 1875)
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Wells Advocate (1881, 1885 – 1906)
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Wells Forum (1898 – 1906)
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Wells Forum Advocate (1906 – 1912, 1915 – 1925)
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Wells Mirror (1913 – 2007)
Albert Lea High School Yearbooks
The Albert Lea High School yearbooks are available in the library, as well as online.