Illinois Genealogy & LDS Family History Centers
Are you an Illinois resident with a burning desire to know your past a little better? There is no better place to begin a genealogy search than at one of the Illinois family history centers located throughout the state! The offices are operated by the Illinois LDS Church and are considered branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. However, all of the facilities are open to the general public and provide free resources, including microfilm, print materials and computer research. No matter where your foundation for your family tree begins, you can find the information you need at an Illinois family history center near you.
If you have any questions or comments about family history centers, please send a message to [email protected].
Buffalo Grove Family History Center
3075 N. Buffalo Grove Road
Buffalo Grove, Illinois 60089
(847) 913-5387
Wed-Thurs 10am-2pm & 6:30pm-9pm, Sat 10am-2pm
We regularly close the first Saturday in April, the first Saturday in October, Thanksgiving week and between the Christmas and New Year holidays. We are also closed for the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In case of severe weather or to confirm that we are open, please phone ahead
Centralia Family History Center
Calament & Airport Rd
Centralia, Illinois 32801
(619) 532-3482
Tue 10AM-1PM, Th 10AM-4PM, 7PM-9PM, Sat 10AM-2PM
Champaign Family History Center
604 W Windsor Rd
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 352-8063
W,Th 9:30am-2pm, 7pm-9pm; Fri 9:30am-12:30pm, Sat. 9:30am.-2pm
Chicago Heights Family History Center
402 Longwood Dr
Chicago Heights, Illinois 60422
(708) 756-1280
Tues-Thurs, Sat., closed August
Decatur Illinois Family History Center
3955 Lourdes Ln
Decatur, Illinois 62526
(217) 875-9396
Tue 10AM-3PM, Thu 6PM-9PM, Sat 10AM-3PM, Sun 6PM-9PM (members only)
Alton Illinois Family History Center
6500 Humbert Rd
Godfrey, Illinois 62035
(618) 466-8179
Tue 1-4pm, Wed-Thurs 6-9pm, and the 1st Sat of each month 10am-2pm
Jacksonville Illinois Family History Center
1053 E Vandalia Rd
Jacksonville, Illinois 62650
(000) 245-8113
Tue & Wed 6p-9p
Litchfield Illinois Family History Center
12368 Roberson
Litchfield, Illinois 62056
(217) 324-2396
Tue 10AM-4PM, 6PM-9PM, Thu 10AM-4PM, Sat 10AM-4PM
Macomb Family History Cneter
2000 W Adams
Macomb, Illinois 61455
(309) 836-3201
1st and 3rd Wed 7-9pm (as of 12/1996)
Notes: small facility
Naperville Family History Center
1320 Ridgeland Ave
Naperville, Illinois 60563
(630) 505-0233
Tues-Thur 9-9; Fri-Sat 9-4
Notes: http://www.spingola.com/fhc.html
Peoria Illinois Family History Center
3700 W Reservoir Blvd
Peoria, Illinois 61615
(309) 682-4073
Tue & Thur, 9am-4pm & 6pm-9,am; Sat, 9am-1pm
Notes: Director, Charles Rogers
Quincy Illinois Family History Center
210 Cardinal Terrace
Quincy, Illinois 62301
(217) 224-2739
Tue 6-9p Wed 9-12a; 6-9p Thu 6-9p Sat 9-12a
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
620 N Alpine Rd
Rockford, Illiinois 61107
(815) 399-2660
Mon 1-4 PM, Tues and Thurs 6:30-9:30 PM, Wed and Fri 10 AM-4 PM, Sat 9 AM-1PM
Schaumburg Illinois Stake Center
1320 W Schaumburg
Schaumburg, Illinois 60193
(847) 885-4130
Tue,Wed,9a-4p-,7-930pm,Thu 9am-930pm,Sat 9am-4pm
Springfield IL Family History Center
3601 Buckeye Dr
Springfield, Illinois 62707
(217) 529-7930
Tue 6PM-9PM, Wed 9AM-3PM, 6PM-9PM, Sat 9AM-3PM, Sun 6AM-8PM (members only)
Sterling Illinois Family History Center
2709 16th Ave
Sterling, Illinois 61081
(815) 625-1229
Tues and Thurs 2:30-8:30 PM, Sat 10 AM-4 PM
Foxcroft FHC
177947 Rte 37 S
West Frankfort, Illinois 62896
(618) 937-4755
Tues & Thurs 9A-2P and Wed 6:30P-8:30P
Wilmette FHC
2801 Lake Ave
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
(847) 251-9818
Tue, Wed, Thur 10AM-3PM, 6:30PM-9:30PM, Sat 9AM-1PM
Notes: East of I94, a good helpful place where patrons give info also.
Illinois Genealogy Resources
When talking about Illinois, Chicago is often the first place that comes to mind. Home to the Prohibition Era's most notorious gangster, Al "Scarface" Capone, and the "Great Fire" in 1871, as well as more modern history makers--the six-time NBA world champion Chicago Bulls, and the iconic "Oprah Winfrey Show,"--it's no wonder that this great city gets all of the attention. But Illinois has a deeper history that goes back to when nomadic Paleo-Indians (it's original name was Illiniwek) and their descendants explored the area--long before the first Europeans, Frenchman Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet arrived in 1673. In 1717, the area became part of French Louisiana, but England gained the region from France in 1763 and Virginia took control in 1778. Illinois was first folded into the Indiana territory in 1800, and gained US Territory status in 1809 before being admitted to statehood in 1818. Three U.S. presidents--Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Ronald Reagan--all hailed from Illinois. The genealogical resume for this "Prairie State" is just as impressive. Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1916, but Illinois law required counties to document vital records starting in 1877. Marriage records are held at the county level. If you're tracking your ancestors in the "Land of Lincoln" you'll find a plethora of family history resources in the state's many libraries and top-notch online databases.
Illinois Dept. of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
605 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62702-5097
217-782-6553
Website
Illinois Bureau of Tourism
620 E. Adams St., 4th Floor
Springfield, IL 62701
(800) 406-6418
Website
Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
2301 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 567-8500
Website
NARA Great Lakes Region
7358 Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 581-7816
Website
Illinois State Historical Society
P.O. Box 1800
Springfield, IL 62705
217-525-2783
Website
Illinois State Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 10195
Springfield, IL 62791-0195
(217) 789-1968
Website
Illinois State Archive
Norton Building
Capitol Complex
Springfield, Illinois 62756
217-782-4682
Website
Illinois State Library
Gwendolyn Brooks Building
300 South 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62701-1796
217-785-5600
Website
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
30 Ramey St.
Collinsville, IL 62234
(618) 346-5160
Website
Augustana College Special Collections
639 38th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201
309-794-7206
Website
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
312-642-4600
Website
The Newberry Library
60 W. Walton St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-943-9090
Website
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
321 Bonnie Lane
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-690-9410
Website
Danville Public Library Archives
319 N. Vermilion St.
Danville, IL 61832
217-477-5228
Website
Curt Teich Postcard Archives
27277 N Forest Preserve Rd
Wauconda, IL 60084
847-968-3381
Website
Chicago Jewish Archives
610 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
312-322-1700
Website
Chicago Public Library Harsh Research Collection
9525 S. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60628
312-747-6900
Website
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
112 N. Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701
800-610-2094
Website
Fort de Chartres
RR 2
Prairie du Rocher, IL 62277
(618) 284-7230
Website
Augustana College Swenson Swedish Immigration Center
639 38th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201-2296
309-794-7204
Website
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
1 Lewis and Clark Trail
Hartford, IL 62048
(618) 251-5811
Website
Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site
Oak Ridge Cemetery
Springfield, IL 62702
(217) 782-2717
Website
Naper Settlement
523 S. Webster St.
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 420-6010
Website
The Ronald Reagan Trail
The Ronald Reagan Trail
Henry, IL 61537
(309) 364-3289
Website
Ulysses S. Grant Home
500 Bouthillier St.
Galena, IL 61036
(815) 777-3310
Website
Vandalia Old State Capitol
315 W. Gallatin St.
Vandalia, IL 62471
(618) 283-1161
Website
Illinois Genealogy Websites
Federal Township Land Plats of Illinois, 1804-1891
Genealogy in the Illinois State Archives
Illinois Genealogy on Geneasearch
Illinois Record Collections
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