Discover a treasure trove of historical photographs, reference materials, and documents from Wauwatosa’s families, schools, churches, and businesses at the Judith A. Simonsen Research Library. Our dedicated volunteer researchers harness the library’s vast resources to answer your inquiries and curate materials for visitors to conduct their own research.
Named in honor of the late Judy Simonsen, a respected archivist from the Milwaukee County Historical Society, the library boasts professional policies and meticulously curated collections.
The Judith A. Simonsen Research Library is located on the second floor of the Kneeland-Walker House (7406 Hillcrest Drive, Wauwatosa). The Kneeland-Walker House is not handicapped accessible.
Research in the library is available by appointment only. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.
Guidelines & Fees
Our research volunteers work to respond to inquiries and will do their best to provide thorough answers. For the best results, when submitting a research inquiry, please include as much detail as possible, such as dates, addresses or locations, and full names (noting whether birth or married). Please allow up to three weeks for a response.
If you prefer to conduct your own research on-site, let us know which materials you’d like to access, and a volunteer will contact you when they are ready.
View our research fees or submit your inquiry here.
Additional Resources
Our collection is extensive, but may not cover every topic. To help broaden your research, we’ve compiled a list of additional community resources you may find helpful:
- Milwaukee County Courthouse: vital records, probate records, or tax records
- Wauwatosa City Hall: City Assessor Office, Permit Office, City Engineer
- Wauwatosa Public Library: Newspapers on microfilm, Atlas microfiche
- Milwaukee County Historical Society: Naturalization records, Civil Court cases, Coroners’ inquests
- Milwaukee Public Library:Vital records pre-1912, Local History Room (genealogy)
- Wisconsin Historical Society: Pre-1907 Vital Records Collection, Shipwreck database, Wisconsin name index
- Wisconsin Historical Society: Pre-1907 Vital Records Collection, Shipwreck database, Wisconsin name index
Interested in visiting the research library, exploring our physical collections, or speaking with a research volunteer? Please contact us.