Visit the Polk County Genealogical Society in Bolivar

An old family name can give you a place to start, even if the rest of the story is missing. At the Polk County Genealogical Society in Bolivar, you can look for clues in books, local newspapers on microfilm, and archive records. Bring one person or question you want to learn more about.

The research library is at 120 E. Jackson, on the southeast corner of the town square.

A family-history visit in a historic library

The society's library page explains the building's own place in Bolivar history. It was built in 1914–15 with support from Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie Corporation. T.H.B. Dunnegan donated the land. The former public library joined the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 2003.

Today, it holds records for people tracing families and local history. Its listed research hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment. The library page also lists holiday closures. If Bolivar schools close for weather, the library closes as well.

For an appointment or a question about your visit, the society lists 417-777-2820.

Use the newspaper list to choose a starting year

The society's microfilm index lists newspaper reels you can view at the library. The collection includes the Free Press, Bolivar Herald, and Bolivar Herald-Free Press, with dates beside each reel.

For example, the list includes Free Press issues from June 4, 1868, through May 25, 1871. It also lists the Bolivar Herald from January 5, 1882, through August 23, 1883. Those date ranges help you choose a reel that fits the event you're researching.

If you're looking for an obituary, begin with the person's name and a likely death date. Note how close that date is to the newspaper dates on the list. A reel covering the right years gives you a focused place to begin, though it does not promise a record will be there.

Keep the paper's name, reel number, and date range in your notes. That saves you from trying to remember which listing caught your attention when you arrive.

Look beyond a surname search

The library links to a book catalog you can search by title, author, or keyword. Its archive index gives you another route into the collection.

Try the place as well as the person. A town, church, school, or county name may lead you toward material tied to that part of a family's life. Write down the title or collection name of anything that looks useful.

If a surname has several spellings in your own records, bring those too. Mark which spelling came from which source. You can search each one without treating a guess as a settled fact.

Make a one-page note for your visit

You do not need to finish a family tree before starting. Bring a short page with:

• The person's name, including spellings you've found.
• The dates you know and a range for dates you are still tracing.
• Places where the person lived.
• Other family names that may help tell two people apart.
• The records you have already checked.

Put one question at the top. For an obituary search, that might be: "Can I find a death notice for this person in a Polk County paper around this year?" The question gives your visit a clear task.

When you find something, save where it came from. For a newspaper, record the paper, issue date, and page. If a detail raises a new question, write that beside it. Ask about the library's rules before copying or photographing material.

Questions before visiting PCGS

Where is the research library?

At 120 E. Jackson, on the southeast corner of Bolivar's square.

When is it open?

The posted hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment. Check the library page's holiday closures for your date.

Can you search the collection from home?

You can search the linked book catalog and read the microfilm and archive indexes. The microfilm list identifies materials to view at the library.

Does the society have old Bolivar newspapers?

Yes. Its microfilm index includes the Free Press, Bolivar Herald, and Bolivar Herald-Free Press. Use the listed dates to choose the reel for your search.

What should you bring for a first visit?

Bring the names, dates, places, and records you already have, along with one question to work on. A notebook gives you room for what you find and what still needs an answer.