The Bayfield Heritage Association’s archives, the Pike Research Center, preserves the rich history of Bayfield, Wisconsin, and the surrounding Chequamegon Bay area. Our archives offer a unique window into the past, capturing the lives, landscapes, and legacies that shaped this vibrant lakeside community.
Research Quick Links
BHA Research Options
STEP 1
Search Videos & History Briefs
Directly on this website we have an extensive archive of over 170+ videos and 100+ history briefs. Use this search box for a full text search of this site.
STEP 2
Search BHA’s Online Photo Collection
Search the full database of the BHA photograph archive. If you wish to purchase images, there is a $10 service fee per image. Click the button below to begin your search.
STEP 3
Contact Us
If the above option doesn’t provide the information you seek, we invite you to fill out our Research Request Form. A BHA team member will follow up with you directly to explore what we might have in our archives.
Bayfield County and Wisconsin Historical Society resources are also listed below as additional research options.
Additional Research Options
BHA does not have vast collections of Land and Tax Records, Genealogy Reports/Obituaries, and Micro-filmed Newspapers (many of our newspapers are too fragile to handle). Below are some additional resources to help with your research in these areas.
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Bayfield County Land & Tax Records Search
If you recently purchased a home or property in Bayfield and are interested in learning more about its previous owners, contact the Bayfield County Register of Deeds office at: 715-373-6119 or email.
Once you obtain the names of prior owners, BHA can then search our records to see if we have any relevant information on those individuals.
You can also search property tax records to determine dates of major changes or improvements to a property (i.e. when you home was built, etc.) through the Bayfield County’s Treasurer’s Office:
- To access property tax information from 2006-present, go to Property Tax Search.
- You can also find old tax rolls online for most municipalities from 1980-2005.
- For further information, visit the Bayfield County Treasurer site or call 715-373-6131.
Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (WHS)
The Wisconsin Historical Society has a satellite operation located in the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center offering a history center and genealogy services. The Ashland ARC is the state repository for 8 northern Wisconsin counties providing researchers with access to public records and private manuscripts collections for Ashland, Bayfield, Forest, Iron Oneida, Price, Sawyer, and Vilas counties. There is also an in-house research library that includes over 400 donated volumes from Ben Guthrie’s extensive library of fur trade, Native Americans, and Wisconsin History dating back to 1833.
Genealogists will find a wealth of information including citizenship records; pre-1907 vital statistics; microfilm newspapers; Northern Wisconsin Native American census rolls; court and tax records; and research assistance with Ancestry and other online databases. Onsite genealogy group programs available upon request.
The Ashland ARC is open Tuesday – Friday, 1:00 – 4:30 and by appointment. Call (715) 685-2647 for more information.
View the Archival Catalog
Learn more about Wisconsin’s 14 Area Research Centers
Linda Mittlestadt, Archivist
(715) 685-2649
linda.mittlestadt@wisconsinhistory.org
Pam Ekholm, Program Assistant
(715) 685-2647
Pamela.ekholm@wisconsinhistory.org
Get Involved
Support BHA
Do you enjoy BHA’s free programs, resources, and museum?
Please consider making a donation to support our mission to continue bringing history to life. There are so many ways you can be involved in bringing history to life!
