Steele County
Bridge Street, Owatonna, 1910 – Courtesy of LakesnWoods Postcard Images
Towns where Poles settled in Steele County:
Owatonna
County-Wide Resources
Catholic Churches and Cemeteries
The church was a central point in the lives of Polish immigrants. Learn more about the churches and cemeteries in Steele County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Steele County Recorder’s Office maintains birth, marriage, death and land records.
County Historical Society
The Steele County Historical Society preserves artifacts and historical information related to the County and its people.
Historic Newspapers
This link lists many different Steele County newspapers available at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management has General Land Office Records where you can pick the state and county, then type a surname. If an ancestor purchased land, you will likely be able to see the document and details about the land and purchase.
Census Records
United States Census Records
You can find a lot of information about the U.S. Census records on the National Archives website. The U.S. Census was done every ten years from 1790 through 1950. (the site has direct links to census records for 1940 and 1950). FamilySearch and Ancestry also have census records (Ancestry requires a paid subscription).
Minnesota State Census Records
- The first Minnesota Territorial Census was taken in 1849, and was taken again in 1850, 1853, 1855, and 1857.
- After Minnesota became a State in 1858, the Minnesota State Census was taken every 10 years, in years that ended with a 5: 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905.
- 1905 was the last year of the Minnesota State Census.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Steele County:
Maps
The 1916 Plat maps are helpful in showing who owned the land that year. Click on the area you are interested in until you get to the detail level with names.
Books
| title | Author/publisher | comments |
|---|---|---|
| Forgotten Memories of Minnesota and Steele County | by Doug Meyer Minnesota Heritage Publishing, 2017 | Article about the book To order, contact the Steele County Historical Society – link is here |
| History of Steele and Waseca Counties | Union Publishing Co., 1887 | Online version |
| History of Rice and Steele Counties | Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, H.C. Cooper and Co., 1910 | Online version |
Owatonna
There is not much to be found about the history of Polish immigrants in Owatonna, other than mention of St. Hyacinth Church as being a Polish church.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Owatonna:
Historic Newspaper
The People’s Press newspaper was published in Owatonna from 1874-1921. Issues of the newspaper can be found at the Minnesota Historical Society. The link below provides a history of the paper.
Public Library
The Owatonna Public Library has resources related to local history and genealogy.