Sources checked October 28, 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 / ISU IRAD
A school’s changing identity
Organization files can help investigate district changes before you search the daily registers under an assumed school name.
School District Organization Files 1938–1995 · Accession 3/0203/07
School Teachers' Daily Registers 1891–1947 · Accession 3/0191/01
A focused question to ask
Which organization files identify the district serving [place], and which daily registers survive for that school and year?
Evidence limit: Organization files do not provide uninterrupted boundary coverage. The two date spans overlap only partly; later school names may differ.
STOP 02 / ISU IRAD
Lincoln: a public improvement and its council trail
Look for the improvement-board discussion, then check the city council’s recorded action for the same project.
Lincoln: City Council Minutes 1853–1947 · Accession 3/0114/01
Lincoln: Local Improvements Board Minutes 1901–1954 · Accession 3/0115/02
A focused question to ask
Which volumes cover [street or project] around [year], and do they reference assessments, petitions or separate files?
Evidence limit: Do not treat an authorization as proof of completion. Supporting papers must be located separately if they survive.
STOP 03 / ISU IRAD
Elkhart village and East Lincoln Township
Small local-government books can reveal administrative context missed by a county-wide name search. Choose the jurisdiction first.
Elkhart: Village Trustees' Minutes 1861–1930 · Accession 3/0134/01
East Lincoln Twp: Highway Commissioners' Record 1913–1915 · Accession 3/0164/05
A focused question to ask
For [place and date], should I begin with Elkhart village minutes or East Lincoln Township road records, and is there an index?
Evidence limit: These are different governments and different localities, not interchangeable sources. The township road series covers only the cataloged 1913–1915 span.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Illinois State University, Normal. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Research visits are by appointment only. Call ahead. ISU accepts IRAD research inquiries by telephone or mail, not email. Confirm the mailing address and any copying charges before sending a request or traveling.
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 Logan County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School District Organization Files
1938–1995
3/0203/07
School Teachers' Daily Registers
1891–1947
3/0191/01
Lincoln: City Council Minutes
1853–1947
3/0114/01
Lincoln: Local Improvements Board Minutes
1901–1954
3/0115/02
Elkhart: Village Trustees' Minutes
1861–1930
3/0134/01
East Lincoln Twp: Highway Commissioners' Record
1913–1915
3/0164/05
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.