Selected repository locations for present-day orientation. Numbers match the research stops below. Select a marker to open its stop. Locations are approximate, not entrances or driving directions. Grouped numbers identify nearby repositories; use the address key for individual locations.
Several stops can lead to the same repository. Maps show selected verified locations, not every guide stop or every community represented in the records. Use each stop’s access instructions, including for online and out-of-county collections. Check access before traveling.
Stop 2: Clinton County Historical Society 16101 Brook Road, DeWitt Township, Lansing, MI 48906
Archives: 16101 Brook Road, DeWitt Township, Lansing 48906. Posted hours are Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; contact archives@cchsmichigan.org or 517-482-5117 extension 1702 before travel.
County outlines: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundaries ↗. Selected major roads: 2024 TIGER/Line primary and secondary roads ↗. Public repository addresses checked against the sources above, with approximate Census geocoder positions. Unmatched addresses and out-of-county repositories are listed in the key rather than assigned a guessed position. Markers identify contact locations, not collection coverage. Historical boundaries, township lines and current traffic conditions are not shown. Prepared November 1, 2026.
Collection and access sources reviewed October 31, 2026. These are selected research routes, not complete county holdings or completed name-level searches.
RESEARCH STOP 01
Watertown Township justice dockets
Collection details
Clinton County Records, c.00425, comprises two docket volumes and related papers, with collection-level coverage 1867-1906. The scope describes volume one mainly as 1867-1882 with an 1885 sewing-machine-company case, and volume two as 1887-1906. Summonses, executions, and an unwitnessed, unregistered 1884 warranty deed are also described. These township proceedings can supply a different trail for residents whose disputes never appear in county-level indexes.
What to confirm
The inventory labels the volumes 1869-1881 and 1883-1901, conflicting with the scope dates. Confirm the exact year with staff; do not silently resolve the discrepancy. Publication permission is separately required.
RESEARCH STOP 02
Clinton County Historical Society Archives
Collection details
The society preserves documents and photographs about Clinton County residents and communities. Its official page specifically illustrates bound tax books and newspapers, making this a useful local stop when a township, parcel, or neighborhood needs context beyond a vital-record entry. Ask for the relevant township and year rather than assuming that all county tax books survive. The archive is distinct from the society's museum on the courthouse square.
What to confirm
The inspected page does not give tax-book dates or a complete inventory. Its searchable archive link could not be verified in this research session. Request holdings confirmation from volunteers.
RESEARCH STOP 03
Riley Township family correspondence
Collection details
Three generations of Cook family correspondence are described in the digital archive; most letters date from 1841–1913 and concern the family of Riley Township.
What to confirm
The range describes most letters, not an annual series. Read the source and transcription together where both are supplied; do not assume all people named belong to one household.
RESEARCH STOP 04
DeWitt newspapers with format-specific coverage
Collection details
The newspaper inventory separates online from physical holdings: DeWitt-Bath Review online 1980–1994 versus microfilm 1980–2008; DeWitt Weekly Advertiser lists 1950 and 1953–1969.
What to confirm
The library explicitly calls these approximate ranges. The Advertiser listing does not establish 1951–1952 coverage; online and microfilm dates are not interchangeable.
Prepare one focused request
Give the repository the locality, year, collection and specific question. Ask about the relevant volume or folder, gaps, access restrictions and copying costs. Save the citation and record what you searched, including searches with no result.
Use these dated holdings to choose a next search. This is a selection of cataloged collections, not a complete inventory of Clinton County records.
A range is a lead, not a guarantee. Bars show the dates stated by the cited catalog or inventory. They do not establish uninterrupted coverage, complete reporting or online image access. Unmarked years mean not represented in this selection, not that records were destroyed. Indexes and abstracts still need to be followed to the underlying record.
Sources reviewed November 1, 2026. Blue shows cataloged holdings; rust identifies indexes or compiled publications where the source specifies them. Read the format label and access notes for each row.
180018501900195020002026
Collection inventory or finding aid
Cook family letters
Listed years: 1841–1913.
Source, access and coverage limits
Open Cook Family Letters in the digital archive. For physical research, arrange an appointment with the Adult Services Librarian.
Keep in mind: Most letters fall in range; not continuous.
Confirm the historical jurisdiction as well as the date. A record may be held outside today’s county, and an inventory’s ending year does not mean recordkeeping stopped.
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.