Things Worth Remembering
Sojourner Truth delivers her message in Battle Creek, and finds a home
Battle Creek marks Kellogg golden jubilee with first Cereal Festival
The Rev. Martin Luther King brings message of love to Battle Creek
Willard Library Newspaper Index
Willard Library Newspaper Index covers the local newspapers from 1967-March 2012
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On-Site Access Only Ancestry Library Edition brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library.
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Historical Images of Battle Creek, Michigan
The Historical Images of Battle Creek collection includes more than 17,000 photographs and is comprised of five collections:
- Battle Creek Homes & Buildings, c. 1940: A catalog, by street, of all of the buildings within the 1940 boundaries of Battle Creek with images
- Photographs from Battle Creek’s History: A searchable selection of 5,500 photographs selected from the files of Willard Library from 19th and 20th century Battle Creek.
- Dorothy Martich Black History Photo Archive: Represents many years of research by local historians Dorothy and Michael Martich documenting the history of the Battle Creek African-American community.
- Country Club Hills Association: circa 1923
- Stuart A. Lassen Historical Battle Creek Postcard Collection: Stuart A. Lassen spent 21 years collecting postcards, advertising and trade cards of early Battle Creek. Through Lassen’s generous donation to digitize this collection, he created a legacy by sharing Battle Creek’s history with future generations. The Stuart A. Lassen Postcard Collection was cataloged by Jane Ratner.
Request an Obituary
Dates of obituaries occurring between 1967-March 2012 can be found in the newspaper index. Prior to 1967, you must know the approximate year of the obituary you are requesting.
Local History Bookshelf Online
Links to books about Battle Creek and Calhoun County history, including W.K. Kellogg, Kellogg Co., Sojourner Truth, Underground Railroad, and C.W. Post.
Face to Face with Dave Eddy
A collection of local interviews conducted by news host Dave Eddy at Access Vision.
Print Collection
The Local and Family History Department has extensive local historical resources including primary and secondary source materials that document the history of Battle Creek, with a secondary emphasis on Calhoun County and the state of Michigan. Limited information is also available for surrounding communities, and the mid-Atlantic, Eastern and North Central United States.
Items in this collection are not available for circulation, with the exception of manuals and guides. Some duplicate items are available in the non-fiction collection for circulation. Resources include:
- City and county records
- Plat books from 1858
- Books
- Cemetery transcriptions for Southwest Michigan
- Battle Creek City Directories (1961-present)
- Local biographies
- Publications about local events, buildings, and personalities such as the Underground Railroad, Sojourner Truth, the cereal industry, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, W.K. Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg, C.W. Post, and the Adventist Church.
About Dean O. Barnum
Dean O. Barnum, who passed away in August 2020 at age 87, was a beloved professor at Kellogg Community College, an avid book reader, a conservationist and lover of the outdoors. He also was an accomplished investor who left millions to the organizations he cared about most, including $1 million to Willard Library. (Video: Local historian and retired KCC professor Liz Neumeyer reflects on Barnum’s life and career.)
