West Central Minnesota Historical Research Center

The West Central Minnesota Historical Research Center (WCMHRC) is one of the library’s special collections located on the fourth floor of Briggs Library in room 420. It was established in 1971 under funding provided by the Minnesota Historical Society and contains materials from the greater west central Minnesota region. Counties represented in the collection include: Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse. Materials include oral histories, business and cooperative records, personal papers, rural school records, and government and institutional documents.

The UMM Archives are under the direction of Stephen Gross, archivist and associate professor of history.

The library welcomes users from the eight counties specifically included in the designated as well as any one else researching local history of west central Minnesota. Materials do not circulate, but a photocopier is available in the special collections area. The hours coincide with those of the UMM Archives.