TYPES OF FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES

Township Records

• According to the Minnesota Association of Townships: Townships are the original form of local government in Minnesota, established as part of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which created the State of Minnesota. The township form of government served as a familiar building block to develop the state by dividing land areas into 36 square mile units known as congressional townships. Today, the term township generally refers to organized but unincorporated communities governed by a local board of supervisors and created to provide services to their residents. There are currently 1,790 townships across the state.
• Search the library catalog by the name of the township
• Don't know the township or where it is?
  • Minnesota Place Names (includes most townships)
  • Alphabetical list of all townships (pdf) in Minnesota and in which county they are located