The State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) was founded in Iowa City in 1857 with the original goal to have a library of materials illustrative of the state of Iowa, as well as publish materials on Iowa and have a dedicated membership under direction of a Board of Curators.
In 1892, The Historical Department in Des Moines was established as a museum, and would eventually include a library, newspaper and census department, and the State Archives. The Department in Des Moines would reorganize in 1939 as the Department of History and Archives.
In 1974 via HF1491, these two departments were combined into two divisions of the State Historical Department. In 1986 as part of the comprehensive statewide reorganization via SF 2175, the Historical Department was dissolved and both of these divisions merged into the State Historical Society of Iowa under the Department of Cultural Affairs.
In 2023 via SF 514, the Department of Cultural Affairs dissolved and the State Historical Museum and Library and Archives Bureaus of SHSI became a part of the Department of Administrative Services and the State Historic Preservation Office became a part of the Economic Development Authority. Some records after 1986 may be available in RG 109 Cultural Affairs.
Some or all of these records are available to search in the Iowa History Collections Catalog.
| General | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Annual/Biennial Reports | 1974-1990 |
| Appointment Calendars (Administrator) | 1985-1987 |
| Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teaching Iowa History | 1988-1991 |
| Board of Trustees Awards Nomination Committee | 1988-1994 |
| Board of Trustees Minutes | 1974-1982 |
| Board of Trustees Minutes and Meeting Packets | 1982-1994 |
| Budget and Program Planning Files | 1985-1986 |
| Centennial Building Facilities Committee Minutes | 1982-1993 |
| Construction Project Files | 1982-1987 |
| Department Salary Ledgers | c.1930s |
| Departmental Policies and Procedures, Work Rules | 1985-1995 |
| Executive Correspondence | 1940-2005, Undated |
| Facilities Committee | 1989-1993 |
| Gray Literature Task Force | 1994-1996 |
| Iowa County Records Manual Project | 1984-1987 |
| Legislative Liaison | 1986-1997 |
| Management Team Meeting Minutes | 1986-1997 |
| Museum Collections Committee Minutes | 1983-1985 |
| Museum Planning for New Building | Undated |
| Opening Events of State Historical Building | 1987 |
| Peace Officer Memorial Committee Correspondence | 1992-1994 |
| Presentations by Administrator | 1984-1994 |
| Program Planning and Project Development Files | 1985-1996 |
| Public Outreach Task Force | 1993-1994 |
| State Historical Society of Iowa Collections Committee Minutes | 1989-1997 |
| State Historical Society of Iowa Collections Policies | 1980 |
| State Plans and Projects, Opening Events for New Historical Building | 1987 |
| Western Historical Trails Project Files | 1984-1996 |
| Historic Preservation | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Congressional Liaison | 1973-1980 |
| Executive Correspondence | 1970-1984 |
| National Register Workshops | 1991-1994 |
| Publications | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Annals of Iowa | 1863-1893 |
| State Archives | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Administrative Files | 1979-1983 |
| Federal Census Returns, Agricultural | 1880 |
| Federal Census Returns, Manufacturing | 1880 |
| Federal Census Returns, Mortality | 1880 |
| Federal Census Returns, Population | 1880 |
| Policy Files | 1984-1985 |
| Receipts | 1920-1939 |
| Supply Requisitions | 1939-1941 |
| War Records Division | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Awards and Death Notifications | 1941-1945 |
| County WWII Casualty Lists | 1941-1949 |
| Des Moines Ordnance Plant Files | 1941-1946 |
| Miscellaneous Correspondence and Reference Files | 1918-1950 |
| Personal Collections of WWII Service Personnel | 1942-1946 |
| Photographs, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Fort Des Moines | |
| Religious Organizations | 1942-1947 |
| Service Star Legion Records (Hudson, Iowa) | 1921-1948 |
| Subject Files | 1941-1949 |
| WAAC News, Womens Army Auxiliary Corps, Fort Des Moines | |
| War Industry Reference Files | 1943-1946 |
| Waves, U.S. Training School, Cedar Falls | 1942-1945 |
| WWII County Newspaper Clippings | 1941-1946 |
| WWII Statewide Newspaper Clippings | 1941-1945 |