East North Central (Midwest)

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Resources in this category:

Citizen Potawatomi Nation
http://www.potawatomi.org/

This is a site dedicated to the history and current status of the Potawatomi Tribe. There are also contacts for the various heads of tribal organizations

Encyclopedia of Chicago History
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/

The Encyclopedia of Chicago is a web site run by the Chicago Historical Society, the Newberry Library, and Northwestern University. It is filled with a deep and exhaustive look at the history of Chicago, and includes numerous photos and authentic documents available for perusal by users. There is also a listing of historical sources, maps, and special features – including Galleries and Interpretive Digital Essays. This is a great resource for anyone trying to learn more about the history of the city of Chicago.

The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
http://ech.cwru.edu/

A combination of two print publications about the history of Cleveland, Ohio. The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History covers the history of business, industry, government, social agencies, events, and general topics. The Dictionary of Cleveland Biography contains biographical entries, representing a broad spectrum of Clevelanders engaged in a wide variety of endeavors. The Encyclopedia has both general and interpretive essays. It is fully searchable and has two indexes.

The Great Chicago Fire and The Web of Memory
http://www.chicagohs.org/fire/index.html

"The Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory [is] an online exhibition ... to mark the 125th anniversary of one of the most famous events in American history, as well as the most formative event in the history of Chicago." In the two main areas, "each chapter consists of three integrated sections: thematic Galleries filled with electronic images of a great range of artifacts, a Library of relevant texts, and an Essay that provides a context for both the Galleries and the Library." This moving and intelligent account is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the Fire or its effects on Chicago.

Historical Society of Michigan
http://www.hsmichigan.org/

The Historical Society of Michigan holds conferences, workshops, and tours, and tracks history events within Michigan. Its website features an educators' resources, links to local societies and organizations, other online resources about Michigan history.

Illinois State Archives
http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/archives.htm...

The Illinois State Archives serves by law as the depository of public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent administrative, legal, or historical research values. Its collections do not include manuscript, newspaper, or other nonofficial sources.

Illinois State Historical Society
http://www.historyillinois.org/

The Illinois State Historical Society was founded in 1899 to support the Illinois State Historical Library and to encourage research and writing on subjects of Illinois history. Though independent of the State of Illinois and the Historical Library since 1997, the Illinois State Historical Society actively promotes the study of Illinois history. The Society encourages everyone from University scholars to local historians to take an active part in Illinois history.

Indiana Commission on Public Records State Archives Division
http://www.in.gov/icpr/archives/

The Indiana State Archives is the official repository of Indiana government records of permanent historical and legal significance. It principally contains records generated by state government and state agencies, but also holds a major collection of county and local government records.

Indiana Historical Society
http://www.indianahistory.org/

"Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society -- an independent, nonprofit membership organization -- has worked to collect, preserve, research and interpret the unique heritage of our state. Please explore the Society's programs, collections and activities, as well as our mission statement."

Archives of Michigan
http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17445_19273_19313--...

The Archives of Michigan contains "more than 80 million state and local government records and private papers, 300,000 photographs and 500,000 maps. Records in the State Archives are particularly useful for tracing genealogy, legislative history/intent, land surveys, military service, and governmental policy on mental health, public health, education, labor, welfare and corrections."

Ohio Historical Society
http://www.ohiohistory.org/

"The society exists to interpret, preserve, collect, and make available evidence of the past, and to provide leadership on furthering knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the prehistory and history of Ohio and of the broader cultural and natural environments of which Ohio is a part."

Ohio Historical Society State Archives
http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/statearc/

The state archives of Ohio is maintained by the Ohio Historical Society, which is mandated to "collect, preserve, and make available to the public, documents pertaining to the operation of state and local governments." The Historical Society has digitized several groups of historical materials, which are available online.

Ohio in the Civil War
http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/

"A website developed for persons researching Ohio's Civil War soldiers and regiments. Histories and extensive bibliographies for all Ohio Units."

Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, ca. 1820-1910
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/umhtml/umhome.html

"Portrays the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century through first-person accounts, biographies, promotional literature, local histories, ethnographic and antiquarian texts, colonial archival documents, and other works drawn from the Library of Congress's General Collections and Rare Books and Special Collections Division. The collection's 138 volumes depict the land and its resources; the conflicts between settlers and Native peoples; the experience of pioneers and missionaries, soldiers and immigrants and reformers; the growth of local communities and local cultural traditions; and the development of regional and national leadership in agriculture, business, medicine, politics, religion, law, journalism, education, and the role of women."

Polar Bear Expedition Digital Collections
http://polarbears.si.umich.edu/

University of Michigan faculty and students at the School of Information in collaboration with the Bentley Historical Library created this site that provides virtual access to the largest collection of primary source and published materials related to the "Polar Bear Expedition," the U.S.'s military intervention in northern Russia near World War I's conclusion. The site includes digitized images, letters, journal entries, maps, military records, oral histories, and a movie related to these U.S. service men who ended up fighting Bolshevik revolutionaries months after fighting in France ended.

Wisconsin Historical Society
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/about/index.asp

The Wisconsin Historical Society is both a state agency and a private membership organization. Founded in 1846, two years before statehood, and chartered in 1853, it is the oldest American historical society to receive continuous public funding. By statute, it is charged with collecting, advancing, and disseminating knowledge of Wisconsin and of the trans-Allegheny West.

Wisconsin Library and Archives
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/

The Wisconsin Library and Archives is housed by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The site contains an online genealogy tool, the Wisconsin Name Index, and a database of Wisconsin Historical Images.