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 / UIS IRAD
Winchester civic life: city and park boards
City council and park board minutes can illuminate a public improvement, local official or community event.
City Council Minutes (Winchester) 1904–1972 · Accession 4/0253/01
Park Board Minutes (Winchester) 1924–1957 · Accession 4/0261/04
A focused question to ask
Which meeting dates discuss the named park, street, event or person, and are supporting papers retained?
Evidence limit: These are Winchester records, not a census of the county. An official role or mention must be distinguished from residence or family relationships.
STOP 02 / UIS IRAD
School visits and pupils’ scholarship records
The superintendent’s visitation record offers an administrative perspective that can be compared with pupils’ scholarship records.
School Superintendent’s Visitation Record 1886–1899 · Accession 4/0221/04
School Pupils’ Scholarship Record 1873–1913 · Accession 4/0298/02
A focused question to ask
What schools are represented, what does “scholarship” mean in this volume, and are pupils named and indexed?
Evidence limit: Do not infer the content from a modern meaning of scholarship. Confirm districts, fields, gaps and access restrictions with the archivist.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
School photographs and local-history research in Winchester
The Old School Museum describes a school-room collection with photographs, former students’ personal items, books and supplies. Winchester Public Library separately maintains a Genealogy Center for Scott County towns and people.
A focused question to ask
Does the school collection identify the pupil or school in a photograph, and can library material help date or corroborate it?
Evidence limit: Museum exhibits are not a comprehensive student archive. The library and museum are separate custodians; confirm which one holds the requested item.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: University of Illinois Springfield. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Call first. UIS official pages differ about appointment availability and whether email research requests are accepted. Mail is a listed request route; confirm current staffing, the mailing address, appointments and copying arrangements directly before visiting.
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 Scott County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
City Council Minutes (Winchester)
1904–1972
4/0253/01
Park Board Minutes (Winchester)
1924–1957
4/0261/04
School Superintendent’s Visitation Record
1886–1899
4/0221/04
School Pupils’ Scholarship Record
1873–1913
4/0298/02
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.