Sources checked October 29, 2026. Holdings checked against official catalogs and repository descriptions. Staff-confirmed details are identified below; other holdings are based on published sources. No name-level search; dates do not guarantee complete coverage or online images.
STOP 01 / NIU IRAD
Belvidere Township: a fire-department paper trail
The catalog preserves a short run of fire department proceedings files. Its township attribution matters: request the series by the exact creator and accession.
Belvidere Twp: Fire Department Proceedings Files 1886–1887 · Accession 1/0117/02
A focused question to ask
What proceedings survive for 1886–1887, and do the files include supporting papers or an index?
Evidence limit: This is a two-year series. It should not be described as a complete firefighter roster or a general fire incident archive without inspecting it.
STOP 02 / NIU IRAD
Roads and surveys: locate the question on the ground
Pair a highway right-of-way question with the county surveyor’s record when the location and dates fit. A section, road or parcel description can be more useful than a surname alone.
Highway Right-of-Way Record 1922–1969 · Accession 1/0288/04
Surveyor's Record 1857–1972 · Accession 1/0288/03
A focused question to ask
Which volume or index covers this road, section or parcel, and can the right-of-way entry be compared with a survey?
Evidence limit: The catalog lists separate series; it does not establish matching documents. A road or survey reference alone does not prove ownership or residence.
STOP 03 / NIU IRAD
Boone and Caledonia townships: local justice dockets
Township justice dockets offer a smaller jurisdiction to investigate than a countywide search. Choose the township and period first, then ask how to locate a specific matter.
Boone Twp: Justice of the Peace Dockets 1897–1906 · Accession 1/0303/23
Caledonia Twp: Justice of the Peace Dockets 1870–1899 · Accession 1/0303/24
A focused question to ask
Is there a party-name index for this township and period, and does the docket reference separate case papers?
Evidence limit: The two township series have different coverage. A docket entry is not necessarily the complete case file, and a party’s appearance does not prove residence.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Call to ask a question or schedule an appointment. The IRAD office is in Founders Memorial Library, Room 265, on the second floor. For a remote request, follow the statewide telephone/mail policy and confirm the current mailing address with staff.
Start with no more than two names, approximate dates, the county and the record type. Include the township or school where known and the accession number above. Ask whether an index exists, which volumes survive and what copying will cost. For an unindexed series, agree on a manageable search before requesting a long period. The statewide policy directs research requests to telephone or mail rather than email; wait for a response before sending another request. See the statewide research policy ↗.
Request template: I am researching [person or place] in [locality] around [years]. Your catalog lists [title], accession [number]. Which volume covers that period, is it indexed, and how can I consult or obtain the relevant pages? Please let me know any gaps, restrictions and copying charges.
Collection dates at a glance
The table lists IRAD series with verified date spans. Community collections above may have different or unspecified coverage and separate access rules. Catalog spans are starting points, not guarantees of every year, locality or individual. Use the Research Planner to compare your years with these cataloged series.
Selected cataloged series for Boone County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Belvidere Twp: Fire Department Proceedings Files
1886–1887
1/0117/02
Highway Right-of-Way Record
1922–1969
1/0288/04
Surveyor's Record
1857–1972
1/0288/03
Boone Twp: Justice of the Peace Dockets
1897–1906
1/0303/23
Caledonia Twp: Justice of the Peace Dockets
1870–1899
1/0303/24
Keep the record and your interpretation separate.
Save the depository, collection, accession number, volume, page, dates and any copy correspondence. Record uncertain names as uncertain. A shared road, school or signature can suggest an association; it does not establish a family relationship.
Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.