Genealogy
Premium Tools
Brought to you by CADL
Genealogy database with census, birth, marriage, death records and more.
Must use at a CADL Library
Brought to you by CADL
Capital Area District Library's Local History Online digital collections. Contains photographs, vintage postcards, school yearbooks, documents, and more.
Brought to you by CADL
This is a collection of newspapers held by the Ingham County Genealogical Society (ICGS), consisting primarily of the Ingham County News (1860-1969 with some gaps). The collection also includes single issues or just a few issues for the following titles: The Dansville Herald (1888); Ingham County Democrat (1917); Ingham Democrat (1846); and Orion Weekly Review (1905).
Brought to you by CADL
High-resolution digitized full page access to the Lansing State Journal from 1911-present with approximately a 3-month delay for recent issues. Select "Full Text" to see full page images.
CADL library card required (this includes Student Success Initiative cards)
Brought to you by MeL
Family history resource including more than 6 billion historical records from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and other regions. Includes the full USA federal census (1790-1940); census of England and Wales (1841-1901); U.S. World War II Army Enlistment as well as records of Union and Confederate Civil War soldiers. Over 2 billion family trees.
Request a Lansing-Area Obituary
To request an obituary for the greater Lansing area, please read and complete this form, and mail it to Capital Area District Libraries with your payment. Staff will conduct a search and contact you with any results.
Other Resources
Cyndi’s List
A categorized and cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the Internet.
Ellis Island On-line
Access to immigration records from Ellis Island New York.
Family Search
Access to the genealogical resources gathered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Learn How to Get Started Using FamilySearch
Library of Michigan Genealogy Resources
Information about the Library of Michigan's extensive genealogy resources.
Michigan County Histories and Atlases
Searchable county histories and atlases published before 1923.
Rootsweb
A free genealogy community to help people research their family history.
Sanborn Map Collection
A searchable digital archive of pre 1900 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps brought to you by the Library of Congress.
USGenWeb
Genealogy websites in every county and every state of the United States.
Additional Genealogy Resources
These additional resources are recommended by CADL staff.
Events for History Buffs
Genealogy Workshop with the Leslie Historical Society (Adults)
Wednesday Feb 1, 2023 1:00pm - 3:00pm Leslie Local Historical Expert, Tim Howery, will show you how to get started researching your family history in this comprehensive two-part workshop. The first workshop is Wednesday, Jan. 4 and the second workshop is Wednesday, Feb. 1. Read MoreDrop-in Genealogy Research Hours (Adults)
Wednesday Mar 1, 2023 1:00am - 3:00pm Leslie Drop-in research your family history using CADL resources, such as Ancestry Library Edition. Knowledgeable staff will be on hand to assist you in locating records for your research. Read MoreGimme Shelter - Poems About Home (Adults)
Thursday Mar 2, 2023 6:30pm - 7:30pm Downtown Lansing In partnership with the Red Cedar Writing Project, join us for a spoken work performance by Voices of the Revolution. Voices of the Revolution is an eclectic collective of feminist voices telling truth through spoken word. There will be performances by Kim Griffin, Susan Harris, Laurie Hollinger, Tari Muniz, Lisa Sarno and Ruelaine Stokes. Read MoreWelfare to Warden (Adults)
Thursday Mar 2, 2023 6:30pm - 7:30pm Haslett Born into an Indiana farm family near the midpoint of the 20th century, moved to Michigan in the turbulent 60s and was a pioneering woman in the Michigan Department of Corrections. Pam Withrow will share her story of how she became the first woman to head a male prison in Michigan. Join us to learn about her remarkable career. Read More*Virtual Family History Open House Series (Adults)
Saturday Mar 4, 2023 11:00am - 12:00pm Downtown Lansing Celebrate Genealogy Day during the entire month of March! Join us for a series of presentations that will help you discover your family's story. *Registration required; call 517-367-6350 or click on "register" below. An email address is required. Registrants will be emailed a link to a Zoom meeting a few days before. Today's session is titled "Finding Family with DNA." Learn the latest methods for finding previously unknown relatives from genealogy expert Richard Hill. Participants will also see some recent examples of surprise discoveries. Read MoreMore Like These