Anoka County
Columbia Heights Mailboxes, 1923 – Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Towns where Poles settled in Anoka County include:
Columbia Heights, and Fridley
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 Anoka County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Anoka County Property Records & Taxation Division oversees property and land records. The Department of Vital Statistics manages birth, marriage and death records.
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).
Some Unique Questions on the Federal Census
| Census Year | Information |
|---|---|
| 1880 | Health conditions/disabilities (not many are entered in this column) |
| 1900 | Lists month and year of birth (not just year) |
| 1900 | For women: How many children were born to her and how many are living at the time of the census |
| 1910 | For women: How many children were born to her and how many are living at the time of the census |
| Multiple years | Naturalization Status: Ai=Alien, Pa=First Papers, Na = Fully Naturalized |
| Multiple years | Property Ownership: “O” = Owned, “R” = Rent |
| Before 1922 | When a male was naturalized, his whole family became naturalized |
| 1940 | X with a circle around it = The person in the household who reported the information |
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.
Genealogy Societies and Libraries
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Anoka County:
Maps
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.
Columbia Heights
Columbia Heights Relationship with Poland
The mission of the Sister Cities International Program is to create world peace and understanding through economic development, youth and education, arts and culture, and humanitarian assistance. Columbia Heights has partnered in this program with the city of Lomianki, Poland. See links below for more information.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Columbia Heights:
Columbia Heights Historical Society
The Historical Society provides resources related to genealogy and the history of Columbia Heights.
PGS-MN Newsletter Articles
| Newsletter Issue | Page | TItle/Author |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | 8 | The LIttle City That Roars by Gloria Bergstrom and Marie Przynski |
Book
| TItle | Author | COmments |
|---|---|---|
Columbia Heights: Bootstrap Town, A Social History – 1986 | by Irene Parsons | Online Version |
Fridley
Historical Society
The Fridley Historical Society provides resources related to the history of Fridley and its people.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Fridley:
Books
| title | author |
|---|---|
| Fridley: It’s History and People | by the Fridley Historical Society |
| Fridley’s 50th Anniversary 1949-1999 |