Researching Your Property

(Area code for phone numbers is 785 unless otherwise noted.)

Riley County Historical Society & Museum

2309 Claflin Road, 565-6490 website
Building hours: Tuesdays - Fridays 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Weekends 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
LIBRARY SERVICES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - (785) 565-6490

  • Manhattan Historical Survey files (forms & research data)
  • Maps (including 1881 and 1909 Plat Books)
  • Directories (telephone 1895-present; Polk 1939-2000)
  • Tax books (1862-1920)
  • Text files on Manhattan & Riley County topics
  • Special editions of local newspapers (1910, 1913, etc.)
  • Transportation histories
  • Records of clubs & organizations
  • Ideas on interview subjects
  • Chamber of Commerce brochures
  • Books on Manhattan history
  • Family files
  • Photo files
  • Court records
  • Obituaries
  • Cemetery records
  • Census data
  • Church histories
  • Scrapbooks
  • Yearbooks
  • city clerk records

Riley County Genealogical Society

2005 Claflin Road, 565-6495, email website
Tuesdays, Thursdays -- 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wednesdays, Saturdays -- 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sundays -- 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. (closed holidays)

Riley County Courthouse

Complex on Poyntz Avenue (parking lot at Fifth & Humboldt)

Charlson & Wilson Bonded Abstracters

Title Office, 111 North Fourth Street, 565-4800

Manhattan city Hall, 11th & Poyntz website

  • Ward & Lot map

Manhattan Public Library

Poyntz & Juliette, 776-4741 website

  • Newspapers on microfilm (see also Kansas State Historical Society)
  • Who’s Who Directories

Manhattan Code Office

2000 Denison (Fire Station, Denison & Kimball) 587-4506 website

  • Building permits

Hale Library, KSU Campus website

  • General library resources
  • KSU Archives 532-7456
    • Sanborn maps (various years) on microfilm (Documents Department)

Kansas State Historical Society

6425 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Topeka, 785-272-8681 website

  • Historic Preservation Office ext. 240
  • Research Library Reference Desk ext. 117
    • Newspaper collection on microfilm (also available through interlibrary loan)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Family History Center

2812 Marlatt Avenue, 539-5445, call for hours.

USDA Service Center

2615 Farm Bureau Road, 776-7582 (off Seth Childs near Cinema)

  • Aerial photographs

Other possibilities