When people imagine what our library offers, it’s easiest to consider the many shelves of books, the computer stations, and even the Dabble Box in the lower level; that being said, many people are unaware of the many online resources that the library provides. Although library patrons may be familiar with a handful of our online resources, such as the MORE catalog or Libby, there are plenty that get highlighted far less often.

For the third blog post in the series of highlighting online library resources, I would like to take some time to focus on the “Chippewa Valley History” section under the “Explore” tab on the library’s website. There are seven general topics available on that page, each containing a wide array of information, which are all freely accessible.

The first of the general topic tabs is City Directories 1880-1923 which collaborates with the ResCarta Foundation and holds historical information about the city of Eau Claire. These directories can be searched one at a time or simply by choosing a specific year to browse through, and can give information about local businesses, civics, and individuals of the time. It’s also worth noting that if you are looking for a directory more recent than 1923, they can be found in the Special Collections display on the second floor of the library.

12 crew men with 3 ox teams skidding logs. 1900. Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire Area Historical Photographs

The second tab, also in collaboration with the ResCarta Foundation and the Chippewa Valley Museum, is Eau Claire Historical Photographs. The goal of this collection is to highlight historical depictions of life in Eau Claire and the surrounding area. Similarly to the city directories, these photos can be browsed individually or by topic, including everything from logging to retail stores.

The third tab, Eau Claire Histories, is another collaboration with the ResCarta Foundation and holds many local histories from the library’s Special Collection online. This resource holds a wide array of documents, including maps, plat books, atlases, and even more unique items like case studies done in the area. While the city directories tab and the historical photos tabs are both a little more straightforward with what resources they give access to, this tab is a little more general; you may have to do a bit of digging (or ask a reference staff member for assistance) to find exactly what you’re looking for!

The fourth tab is Historical Videos and it mostly focuses on the history of logging in Eau Claire, including a documentary, a musical, and more! Although this is one of the smaller sections on the Chippewa Valley History page, it does provide some unique insights into one of the largest industries that founded Eau Claire and fostered it into the city that it is today.

The fifth tab is one of the more unique collections the library has access to: Kodak Yearbooks. This tab contains information on the early years of Eau Claire Senior High (also known as Eau Claire High School or, currently, Memorial High School) from 1900 to 1923 through The Kodak, the annual yearbook issued by the school. The library does have the print forms of (almost) all the Kodak’s from 1893 to the present available to browse in the Special Collections display on the second floor as well, however the print forms are only available for use inside the library.

5 cooks outside shanty. Estimated date 1900-1910. Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire Area Historical Photographs

Tab number six is Online Historical Texts and contains links that lead to full-text webpages, meaning they are scans of physical books and materials that are able to be accessed online. These sources are also quite broad, spanning across a number of topics related to Wisconsin history, such as wars, religion, geography, and even biographies. Fortunately, if you don’t love going through these materials digitally, the library does have access to these sources in book format as well.

The seventh and final tab is Finch Family Letters, which is a collection of digitized letters and documents from the Finch and Pierce families, donated from the families to the library. Despite the fact that these resources are attributed to a specific and personal history of these families, they can still give a unique insight into what life was like from the early nineteenth century up to the early twentieth century in the Chippewa Valley.

If you have any questions regarding these resources, feel free to contact our Reference Services department in person on the second floor of the library, through email at reference@eauclaire.lib.wi.us, or over the phone at 715-839-5004.