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 / SIU IRAD
School registers and preliminary classification reports
These series offer different classroom and administrative routes. Establish the school and report format before searching for a child.
School Teachers' Daily Registers 1911–1971 · Accession 6/0346/02
School Classification Reports, Preliminary 1935–1961 · Accession 6/0346/01
A focused question to ask
Which schools survive for [year], what information appears in the classification reports, and are later registers restricted?
Evidence limit: Dates do not guarantee every school or pupil. Do not assume that classification reports contain names or that all later student material is open.
STOP 02 / SIU IRAD
Harrisburg council and improvement-board minutes
A street or public project can be a better starting point than a surname in municipal minutes.
Harrisburg: City Council Minutes 1886–1909 · Accession 6/0383/01
Harrisburg: Local Improvements Board Minutes 1924–1925 · Accession 6/0383/02
A focused question to ask
Which indexed topics or volumes cover [project], and where should I ask for council minutes outside the listed 1886–1909 span?
Evidence limit: These two listed series do not overlap in time. Do not imply that the catalog provides a continuous paired council and improvement-board trail.
STOP 03 / SIU IRAD
Dorrisville and Gaskins City: search the historical creator
Preserve the historical municipality’s name in your request instead of silently substituting a modern place label.
Dorrisville: Village Trustees' Minutes 1908–1923 · Accession 6/0383/05
Gaskins City: Local Improvements Board Minutes 1924–1924 · Accession 6/0383/04
A focused question to ask
Does [street or issue] appear in the cataloged minutes, and are there indexes or references to related municipal files?
Evidence limit: The catalog names are record creators, not a substitute for checking jurisdiction at the event date. Gaskins City coverage here is limited to 1924.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Call before visiting the IRAD facility in the Library Storage Building, 1835 University Press Drive, Carbondale. It is separate from the main library. Follow the statewide telephone/mail request policy; reduced summer hours and university closures can affect access.
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 Saline County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Teachers' Daily Registers
1911–1971
6/0346/02
School Classification Reports, Preliminary
1935–1961
6/0346/01
Harrisburg: City Council Minutes
1886–1909
6/0383/01
Harrisburg: Local Improvements Board Minutes
1924–1925
6/0383/02
Dorrisville: Village Trustees' Minutes
1908–1923
6/0383/05
Gaskins City: Local Improvements Board Minutes
1924–1924
6/0383/04
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.