Local Resources

Our Neighbors in Local History Throughout Ingham, Eaton, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Livingston, and Jackson Counties

We are not alone in preserving and sharing local history in the mid-Michigan area. There are countless libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, genealogical societies, historical commissions, blogs, nonprofits, and other organizations dedicated to neighboring communities and historical topics which may be of interest.

Listed below is an alphabetical list by type of history-based organizations throughout Greater Lansing, including Ingham, Eaton, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Livingston, and Jackson Counties. These counties comprise the broader region of mid-Michigan, and these societies, museums, and associations reflect the diversity across the region. Some organizations are listed in more than one section. Please contact us if you would like to suggest an organization to be included in this list, we welcome new additions!

Historical Societies & Commissions

Bellevue Michigan Historical Society & Museum
https://bellevuehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

Clinton County Historical Society
https://www.clinton-county.org/446/Historical-Resources

Dansville Michigan Historical Society
https://www.dansvillemihistory.org/

Delta Township Historical Society
https://www.deltamihistory.org/

Eaton County Historical Commission
https://eatoncountyhistory.org/

Eaton Rapids Area Historical Society & Miller Farm
https://www.millerfarm.net/index.html

Elsie Historical Society
https://elsie.org/departments/historical-society/

Grand Ledge Area Historical Society & Museum
https://glhistoricalsociety.org/

Gunnisonville Historical Community Preservation
https://www.facebook.com/Gunnisonville-Historical-Community-Preservation-288658497837026/

Historical Society of Greater Lansing
P.O. Box 12095
Lansing, MI 48901
info@lansinghistory.org
https://www.lansinghistory.org/

Historical Society of Michigan
https://www.hsmichigan.org/

Holt-Delhi Historical Society
https://www.holtdelhihistory.org/

Howell Area Historical Society
http://www.howellareahistoricalsociety.org/

Ingham County Historical Commission
https://bc.ingham.org/AppointedBoards/HistoricalCommission.aspx

Ionia County Historical Society
http://www.ioniahistory.org/

Jackson County Michigan Historical Society
https://www.myjacksonhistorical.org/

Leslie Area Historical Society
https://lesliehistorical.org/

Mason Area Historical Society and Museum
https://www.masonmuseum.org/

Michigan Civil War Association
https://www.facebook.com/michigancivilwarassociation

Michigan Historical Commission
https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/about/advisors-supporters/michigan-historical-commission

Michigan Political History Society
https://www.mipoliticalhistory.com/

Ovid Historical Society
http://ovidhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

Perry Historical Society & Calkins-Macqueen House Museum
https://www.perryhistoricalsociety.com/

Portland Area Historical Society
https://portland-area-historical-society.square.site/

Preservation Lansing
https://www.facebook.com/PreservationLansing

Shiawassee County Historical Society
https://www.shiawasseecountyhistsoc.org/home

Stockbridge Area Genealogical Historical Society
https://www.stockbridgeareaghs.org/

Sunfield Historical Society & Welch Museum
http://www.sunfieldhistoricalsociety.com/

Tompkins Center Historical Society
https://www.facebook.com/TompkinsHistorical/

Westphalia Historical Society
https://westphaliahistory.weebly.com/

Friends Groups

Friends of Historic Meridian & Meridian Historical Village
https://www.meridianhistoricalvillage.org/

Friends of Lansing’s Historic Cemeteries
https://folhc.wildapricot.org/

Friends of Turner-Dodge House
https://www.lansingmi.gov/470/Friends-of-Turner-Dodge

Museums, Historical Villages, & Historic Sites

African World Museum & Resource Center
http://www.africanworldmuseum.com/

Bath School Museum
https://www.bathschools.net/BathSchoolMuseum.aspx

Bellevue Michigan Historical Society & Museum
https://bellevuehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

Clinton County Historical Museum
http://www.pgsmuseum.com/

Corunna Historical Village
https://tour.k8oms.net/corunna-historical-village

Diocese of Lansing Museum
Private museum, available for scheduled tours and by appointment
https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/general/history

Eaton County Courthouse Square Association Museum
https://www.csamuseum.net/

Eaton Rapids Area Historical Society & Miller Farm
https://www.millerfarm.net/index.html

Ella Sharp Museum
https://ellasharpmuseum.org/

Friends of Historic Meridian & Meridian Historical Village
https://www.meridianhistoricalvillage.org/

Grand Ledge Area Historical Society & Museum
https://glhistoricalsociety.org/

Lansing Fire Department Museum
Private museum, available for scheduled tours and by appointment
https://www.lansingmi.gov/489/Fire-Stations

Leslie Area Historical Society Museum
https://lesliehistorical.org/

Livingston Centre Historical Village
https://www.fowlervillefamilyfair.com/historical-village.html

Lyons-Muir Historical Museum
https://riverbank-treasures.com/lyons-muir-historical-museum/

Mason Area Historical Society and Museum
https://www.masonmuseum.org/

Michigan G.A.R. Memorial Hall and Museum
https://garmuseum.com/

Michigan Historical Museum
Michigan History Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48915
(517) 335-2576
archives@michigan.gov
https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/archives

Michigan’s Military Heritage Museum
https://mimhm.org/

Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors Institute
https://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-society-professional-surveyors-institute

Michigan State Capitol Tour, Education, & Information Service
Michigan State Capitol Commission
100 N. Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 373-2353
capitoltourguides@legislature.mi.gov
http://capitol.michigan.gov/

Michigan State University Museum
409 W. Circle Drive
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 355-2370
https://museum.msu.edu/

Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center
https://nokomis.org/

Perry Historical Society & Calkins-Macqueen House Museum
https://www.perryhistoricalsociety.com/

R.E. Olds Transportation Museum
240 Museum Drive
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 372-0529
autos@reoldsmuseum.org
https://www.reoldsmuseum.org/

Save the Flags
https://www.capitol.michigan.gov/savetheflags

Sunfield Historical Society & Welch Museum
http://www.sunfieldhistoricalsociety.com/

Turner-Dodge House
https://www.lansingmi.gov/461/Turner-Dodge-House

Vermontville Historical Museum
https://www.facebook.com/vermontvillehistoricalmuseum

Williamston Depot Museum
https://www.williamstonmuseum.org/

Genealogical Societies

Eaton County Genealogical Society
http://www.miegs.org/Index.shtml

Ingham County Genealogical Society
https://icgsweb.org/

Ionia County Genealogical Society
http://www.migenweb.org/ionia/ICGS/icgshome.htm

Jackson County Genealogical Society
https://jacksongenealogycom.wordpress.com/

Lansing Area African American Genealogical Society
http://www.laaags.org/

Lansing Family History Center
http://lansingfhc.org/

Livingston County Genealogical Society
https://milcgs.wordpress.com/

Michigan Genealogical Council
https://mimgc.org/

Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society
https://mmgs.wordpress.com/

Shiawassee County Genealogical Society
https://scgs.k8oms.net/

Stockbridge Area Genealogical Historical Society
https://www.stockbridgeareaghs.org/

Halls of Fame

Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame
https://lansingsportshalloffame.org/

Lansing Catholic Athletic Hall of Fame
https://lansingcatholic.org/halloffame

Lansing Eastern High School Athletic Hall of Fame
https://lehsalumni.com/athletic_hall_of_fame.php

Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame
https://msuspartans.com/honors/hall-of-fame

Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame (Michigan Women Forward)
https://miwf.org/herstory/mi-womens-history-center/

Libraries

CADL Local History Online
http://cadl.pastperfectonline.com/search

Capital Area District Libraries Forest Parke Library and Archives (CADL Local History)
401 S. Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 367-6313
localhistory@cadl.org
https://www.cadl.org/research-learn/local-history/overview

Charlotte Community Library Local History
https://charlottelibrary.org/local-history/

Clinton County Historical Society Archives
https://www.dewittlibrary.org/cchs/

Delta Township District Library Local History
https://www.dtdl.org/collections/special_collections/local_history.php

DeWitt District Library Local History & Genealogy
https://www.dewittlibrary.org/booksresearch/localhistoryandgenealogy.html

Grand Ledge District Library Local History
https://gladl.org/localhistory/

Library of Michigan
Michigan Library and Historical Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48915
(517) 335-1477
librarian@michigan.gov
https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan

Archives

Archives of Michigan
Michigan History Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48915
(517) 335-2576
https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/archives

Capital Area District Libraries Forest Parke Library and Archives (CADL Local History)
401 S. Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 367-6313
localhistory@cadl.org
https://www.cadl.org/research-learn/local-history/overview

Clinton County Historical Society Archives
https://www.dewittlibrary.org/cchs/

Lansing Community College Archives
https://www.lcc.edu/library/find/archives.html

Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections
Conrad Hall
943 Conrad Road, Rm. 101
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 355-2330
archives@msu.edu
https://lib.msu.edu/branches/ua/

Digital Collections

CADL Local History Online
http://cadl.pastperfectonline.com/search

CADL Lansing Area Yearbooks Online Collection
https://www.cadl.org/research-learn/local-history/yearbooks

Campus Underground (Digitized Underground Newspapers)
The Paper, Lansing Star, Joint Issue, Bogue Street Bridge, Generation, etc.
https://www.jstor.org/site/reveal-digital/independent-voices/campus-underground/

Charlotte Community Library Local History
https://charlottelibrary.org/local-history/

Delta Township District Library Local History Digital Collections
https://dtdl.omeka.net/

J.P. Edmonds Collection of Portraits
https://mmm.lib.msu.edu/results.php?subcollection=Portraits&collection=Edmonds+Photographic+Collection

Grand Ledge District Library Local History
https://gladl.org/localhistory/

LM Digital (Library of Michigan)
https://lmdigital.libraryofmichigan.org/about-lm-digital-collections

Michigan State Capitol Online Collections
https://michiganstatecapitol.catalogaccess.com/

Michigan State University Digital Newspapers
https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/c.php?g=96261&p=626290&fbclid=IwAR35-FBubjT9GIq8cGaYNqmkA7PaAQuv2LjGQIFF6X0Shi81_6GyUyUP_7c

Michiganology (Michigan History Center)
https://michiganology.org/

The State News, 1925-1980 (MSU/East Lansing)
https://lib.msu.edu/branches/dmc/digital/?coll=131

Blogs

Capital City Sidewalks Blog
https://bunnyhugger.us/sidewalks/

East Lansing History Blog by Kevin Forsyth
https://kevinforsyth.net/ELMI/

Lansing 150
https://lansing150.wordpress.com/

Local History Blog of Timothy Bowman
https://lugnut215.wordpress.com/

Lost Lansing Blog
http://www.lostlansing.org/

Other Resources

Automotive History in Lansing
https://www.lansing.org/about-us/greater-lansing-history/automotive-history/

Cooley Law School History
https://www.cooley.edu/about/mission-history

East Lansing Historical Film Reel
https://archive.org/details/hunter_east_lansing_r1_of_3
https://archive.org/details/hunter_east_lansing_r2_of_3

Fenner Nature Center History
https://mynaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/History-of-FNC_edited.pdf

Historical Timeline of Baseball in Lansing
https://www.milb.com/lansing/team/historical-timeline

Lansing Art Gallery History
https://lansingartgallery.org/history/

Lansing Grocery Store Historical Timeline
https://www.sutori.com/en/story/a-timeline-of-lansing-grocery-store-history--DxUKiUxDCQa2xidJXEyuxQy2?fbclid=IwAR0RcwjAVvrQ9c2T4a_7Yr7cGZ_6nfBoZ2FXIE1W6DqqfLxvzSGPzQACp7g

Lansing Theaters History Slideshow
https://www.slideshare.net/macmeljim/lansing-theaters-web

Lanstories Podcast
https://www.lcc.edu/connect/shows/lanstories.html

McLaren Health Care History
https://www.mclaren.org/main/history

Michigan Digital Preservation Network
https://mipres.org/

Michigan Historic Preservation Network
https://www.mhpn.org/

Michigan Legislative Biography Database
https://www.mdoe.state.mi.us/legislators

Michigan Oral History Association
https://michiganoha.org/

Michigan Polonia
http://www.mipolonia.net/

Michigan Railroad History Conference
http://www.michiganrailroads.com/more/611-mrhc/5663-mrhc-home-page

Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band History
https://www.spartanmarchingband.com/history

Old Town, Lansing, History
http://iloveoldtown.org/about/

Potter Park Zoo History
https://potterparkzoo.org/history/

Rediscovered History of Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Ionia, and Jackson, Counties, MI Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/216725032151243

State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/

W.J. Beal Botanical Garden at Michigan State University
http://www.cpa.msu.edu/beal/history/history_frames.htm?fbclid=IwAR0yG68d5-siH_jrujezS9CdSMY0VNrLLz-qT2EWn-5oAWgDGGeYJtliNX4

Westside Neighborhood Association
https://www.wnalansing.com/aboutwna

Wharton Center History
https://www.whartoncenter.com/our-story/our-history