Resources

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Resources

   Listed below are some resources that may be helpful to anyone needing to do research on Chase County, Nebraska.

Chase County Historical Society
Imperial Public Library
Imperial City Offices
Imperial Republican
Wauneta Breeze
Chase County Courthouse
Chase County Historical Society
Champion, Nebraska
The Chase County Historical Society was started in 1938 and is entirely operated by volunteers.   Membership in the Society is $3.00 per year.  The Society maintains a museum in Champion  in what was once the Champion High School.  It is open every Sunday afternoon during the summer months.  In addition, the museum is available by appointment for anyone travelling to Chase County at other times who would like to visit the museum.  This can be done by writing the museum at the mailing address above and including your name, address, and the date you would like to visit the museum.   Please be as flexible as possible with your day and time and allow plenty of time so a that a volunteer can be made available at the museum on the day you wish to visit. 

The museum houses an extensive collection of pioneer artifacts including dishes,  farm tools and equipment, photographs, books,  clothing, and much more.  During the summer they feature guests who bring private collections such as of dishes, quilts, etc.  In August they have a genealogy day and have someone on hand to help people with their family histories.   They also have some books that can be used at the Museum and maintain files on  early settlers and life in Chase County which can be used for research.  They have a photocopy machine if you need to make copies.  An annual dinner and program is held annually.

Since its inception in 1938, the Historical Society has  published several volumes of Chase County History.  The Histories were prepared by members who did extensive research over the years and provide valuable information about the history of Chase County, its early settlers, and more.  The Histories can be purchased directly from the Museum or copies can be viewed at the Imperial Public Library.
Imperial Public Library
703 Broadway
Imperial, Nebraska 69033
(308) 882-4754
email: [email protected]
The Imperial Public Library has extensive holdings for persons doing research in Chase County.  They are in process of raising funds to build new building which will offer greater accessibility to books and files helpful to genealogists and historians.   Anyone wanting information on how they can contribute to the Library Fund can write or e-mail the library for information on this.  At this time there are tables and micro fiche readers in the basement available to researchers.  A new building could offer greater space for the materials and research.  They currently have two computers on site which visitors to the library can sign up and use for additional research on the internet.   They also have a photocopy machine available for patrons' use and charge 25 cents per copy. 

Dennis Batterman, a teacher at Chase County High School, has volunteered hundreds of hours of his time in indexing materials in the library.   Researchers have him to thank for going through research materials in the library and creating an alphabetical index by name.  This is an invaluable tool.   The alphabetical name index he is creating includes birth, marrriage, death, and announcements from the following sources which are held in the Imperial Library:   Marriage records through 1932; Scrapbooks kept by early Chase County Resident Mrs. Brown from 1896 - 1939; Chase County Enterprise newspaper 1895 - 1899; Hamilton Herald newspaper 1886 - 1887; Chase County Tribune newspaper 1897 - 1907; Imperial Republican newspaper 1899 - 1932; Wauneta Breeze newspaper 1887 - 1932; The Peoples Voice newspaper 1895 - 1896; Census 1880, 1900 and 1910; 1890 census (surviving soldiers, sailors and marines); Funeral Register for Imperial from 1894 - 1919; Family names in the Chase County History books; Lamar Cemetery records; Crete Cemetery records; Chase Cemetery records; Blanche Cemetery records. 

Dennis is kept busy fulltime as a teacher, however, he has offered his services as researcher to look up information in the files for other people.  He asks only that people understand that it may take some time for him to get to the research, that they pay 25 cents per copy, plus postage and that they make a donation to the Imperial Library Fund, which is raising funds to build a new library.  If you are interested in taking him up on his generous offer, you can contact him at mailto: [email protected] with your requests.  

Imperial City Offices
740 Court Street
Imperial, NE 69033
(308) 882-4368
The City offices maintain records of burials located at the Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Imperial Republican
622 Broadway   P. O. Box 727
Imperial, NE 69033
Phone:(308) 882-4453 Fax: (308) 882-5287
email: [email protected]
web site: www.imperialrepublican.com
The Imperial Republican, published in Imperial, Nebraska, prints extensive local news, in addition to obituaries and death notices, births, and family reunion information. You can contact the paper directly regarding subscriptions to the paper or for obtaining copies of obituaries printed in their paper.
The Wauneta Breeze
342 N. Tecumseh
Wauneta, NE 69045
(308) 394-3389
email:  [email protected]
web site:  www.waunetanebraska.com
The Wauneta Breeze, published in Wauneta, Nebraska, publishes local news in addition to publishing obituaries, death notices, births and other information.
Chase County Courthouse
Clerk's Office
921 Broadway
Imperial, NE 69033
(308) 882-5266

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email Linda Banks at [email protected]

Last updated:  10/30/00