Genealogists, local history buffs, and students now have a new, free digital resource to dig into when researching the history of Fond du Lac and its residents of years gone by.

The Fond du Lac Public Library has unveiled The Fond du Lac Collection, a one-stop site for digitized information about the history of the community. It can be found under the “Research & Learn” dropdown menu at the top of FDLPL.org.

The Fond du Lac Collection brings together materials and resources about the city’s shared past at the Foot of the Lake. Most of these scanned historical documents are hosted with other area resources on the Winnefox Digital Collection website. This collection includes:

• Digitized copies of the library’s local history book collection including its newest book, Life by the Lake
• Maps and atlases
• City and county directories
• Yearbooks
• The Reporter Index: a selective index of local articles and pamphlets located in the Seefeld Local History Room
• Charts and forms to guide local historians in their local history research

“This page will be a great resource for students, genealogists, and local historians,” said John Serrano, local history and genealogy librarian at the Fond du Lac Public Library. “I’m excited to have this available for the community because it helps to make the past more accessible to everyone; whether they are here in Fond du Lac or elsewhere.”

The library will continue to grow this collection as well, including the addition of postcards depicting Fond du Lac County over the years in the near future.

Other history resources are available through the Fond du Lac Public Library as well. Some vital notices for Fond du Lac County and beyond are available digitally through the Winnefox Vital Records Index, while additional online genealogical resources include Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest. 

Researchers also may visit the Seefeld Collection at the downtown library. This physical collection includes more than 2,600 items and is composed of materials related to the history of the city of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County and nearby areas.

Additional help also may be requested by filling out a Book a Local History Librarian form at fdlpl.org

Fond du Lac Public Library operates two locations: the Main Library at 32 Sheboygan St. in downtown Fond du Lac, and the Buechel Branch at 1132 E. Johnson St. near Festival Foods. The main library is open daily: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Chapter 52 Bookstore at 52 Sheboygan St. is open Monday through Wednesday from 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the Buechel Branch is open weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about any of these locations, visit fdlpl.org.