Washington County: Nashville city and township records, plus a school-district window
Separate the City of Nashville from Nashville Township when choosing records. City council minutes, township administration and a short school-district series answer different questions.
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 / SIU IRAD
Nashville city: pair council decisions with ordinances
City council minutes and an ordinance record provide complementary routes into municipal government. Begin with a known local issue, address or approximate decision date.
Nashville: City Council Minutes 1869–1965 · Accession 6/0266/02
Nashville: City Ordinance Record 1878–1916 · Accession 6/0266/01
A focused question to ask
Is there a subject, ordinance-number or name index, and can staff identify the volume covering my issue and year?
Evidence limit: These are City of Nashville records, not Nashville Township records. An ordinance sets a rule; it does not by itself show that a particular resident was affected.
STOP 02 / SIU IRAD
Nashville Township: ask about local administration
The township record and township auditors’ record are a separate path from city government. A precise township and year keep a request within the right jurisdiction.
Nashville Twp: Township Record 1883–2003 · Accession 6/0374/01
Nashville Twp: Township Auditors' Record 1927–1952 · Accession 6/0374/02
A focused question to ask
What kinds of entries are included in the township record, and do the auditors’ volumes contain an index or named claims for my target year?
Evidence limit: Do not infer named payments or specific services from the catalog title alone. The long span does not guarantee every intervening year survives.
STOP 03 / SIU IRAD
School districts: use the 1955–1960 window carefully
The catalog identifies a school district record for a narrow mid-century period. It is a starting point for asking how districts were recorded, rather than a promised list of pupils.
School District Record 1955–1960 · Accession 6/0458/04
A focused question to ask
Which districts and record types appear in this volume? Can it help establish the district serving a particular address during 1955–1960?
Evidence limit: This is not cataloged as a student register. Do not extend its coverage beyond 1955–1960 or assume it includes every child or school.
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 Washington County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Nashville: City Council Minutes
1869–1965
6/0266/02
Nashville: City Ordinance Record
1878–1916
6/0266/01
Nashville Twp: Township Record
1883–2003
6/0374/01
Nashville Twp: Township Auditors' Record
1927–1952
6/0374/02
School District Record
1955–1960
6/0458/04
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.