Genealogy and Local History

Local, Regional, and General History Information

The Enid Public Library is thrilled to introduce our "Ask a Historian" service, where you can get answers to your burning questions about local, regional, or general history. Whether you're curious about the history of Enid and Garfield County, an event, a historical figure, or anything else, our team is here to help.

To make our "Ask a Historian" service even more accessible, you can now reach out to us in two convenient ways:

  1. Email: Send your history-related questions to us at history@enid.org. Our team will promptly research and respond to your inquiries via email.
  2. Visit Us: If you prefer a face-to-face interaction, you can come to the library during our regular operating hours. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you in person with your history questions and guide you through the research process.

We look forward to helping you explore the past, answer your historical queries, and share our passion for history. Whether you choose to email us or visit the library, we're here to assist you in your historical journey.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with us today to start your historical exploration!

Library Genealogy Searches

If you are looking for information on or around the time of our 1893 Cherokee Strip Land Run, we have microfilm of newspapers and local directories dating back to 1893 available for viewing/scanning/photocopying. If you are unable to visit our library, please call 580-616-7196 or email refdesk@enid.org to make arrangements for access to this microfilm.  Approximate dates and names are helpful.

In addition, members of the Oklahoma Historical Society are located in Enid, Oklahoma. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center also has a wealth of information and specializes in the time around the 1893 Land Run.

ancestry-library

Ancestry.com (in-library edition)

Learn your family history from historical record collections and other resources. IN-LIBRARY access only.

three members of family looking into family history

HeritageHub

Explore your family history with a premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704-today. HeritageHub includes coverage from all 50 states, hard-to-find content from the mid-1900s, and original obituary images. For remote access, use "ENID" and your 6-digit library card number (ex: ENID222222).

HeritageQuest

Heritage Quest Online

Search for family history in the U.S. Census (1790-1930), genealogy books, PERSI, Revolutionary War records, and the Freedman’s Bank. For remote access, use "ENID" and your 6-digit library number (ex: ENID222222).

Other Genealogy & Local History Websites

  • 1940 Census allows you full access to the 1940 census images, in addition to 1940 census maps and descriptions.
  • 1950 Census allows you to access 1950 census images and records.
  • Dawes Final Rolls records are used to trace your ancestry to one of the Five Tribes. This website is brought to you by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
  • Gateway to Oklahoma History is an online repository of Oklahoma history from the Oklahoma Historical Society. You may browse through hundreds of thousands of newspaper pages dating from the 1840s to the 1920s.  Click on Advanced Search to select newspapers by title under the "collection" option menu.  Early Enid newspapers are included here and are being added often.
  • Ok2Explore is a free searchable index of births and deaths that occurred in the state of Oklahoma. Included is limited information on births occurring more than 20 years ago and deaths occurring more than 5 years ago.
  • National Archives is a government records database that houses records used by genealogists including Census, Military, Immigration (Ship Passenger Lists), Naturalization, and Land records.