Uncover Your History
Preserving the stories of Shelby County for over 60 years
📖Our Story
Ever wonder about the hidden history right under your feet? That's where we come in. Founded back in 1962, the Shelby County Historical and Genealogical Society is all about uncovering, preserving, and sharing the wild, fascinating stories of our local area.
🏛️From Library Basement to Historic Jail
We started small, keeping our collection at the Shelbyville Public Library. A passion project that would grow far beyond our wildest dreams.
We moved into a historic house on Morgan Street. Our collection grew so fast we literally ran out of room!
Our coolest upgrade yet: In 1987, the county built a new jail, so we moved into the old county jail building! Today, it's packed with historic treasures donated by local families, kept safe for the next generation to explore.
⭐We're Kind of a Big Deal
We're not just a small-town club. We have over 300 members nationwide and swap info with major institutions like the Library of Congress and state libraries across the Midwest.
Locally, we're the ultimate community partners. We help everyone from the Chamber of Commerce and local banks to the Boy Scouts. Plus, we team up with the Courthouse to guard the county's official tax history.
🔍Your Ultimate Research Cheat Code
Need to ace a history project or track down your family tree? Our library is 100% free to use (though donations keep the lights on!)
College & Student Research
Support major theses and academic projects with our comprehensive historical databases and primary sources.
Genealogy Research
Track down your family tree with our massive obituary database and miles of genealogical files.
Historical Archives
Access thousands of news clippings, courthouse records, and historical documents spanning decades.
Modern Equipment
Use our microfilm readers, copy machines, and digital tools to access and preserve historical information.
Illinois History Projects
Perfect resource for high school and elementary students crushing their Illinois history assignments.
Preservation
We preserve rare books, maps, and courthouse records for current and future generations.
💡How We Keep the Lights On
Running a historic building isn't cheap—utilities, repairs, and gear add up. We pay for it almost entirely through community donations and annual memberships (which gets you our cool quarterly magazine, Shelby County Ancestors).
We also fund our own projects by reprinting rare old history books, maps, and courthouse records to sell to libraries and researchers.
📍Come Visit Us!
Want to dig into the past or just check out the old jail? Come say hi.
Location
151 S. Washington St.
Shelbyville, IL 62565
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 286
Shelbyville, IL 62565