Local History

Through digitization, Drake Community Library is able to bring you some of our treasures from the past. We also have many in-house resources to aid your research of Grinnell’s rich history.

Heritage Collections
Drake Community Library is a participant in the Iowa Heritage Digital Collections database project. All 38 photographs from the Billy Robinson Collection have been digitized as has the Spaulding Manufacturing Collection.

The Grinnell Room
Local archives are maintained by volunteers Dorrie Lalonde and Harriet Adelberg. The collections include the records of many local organizations, Grinnell Highschool yearbooks, and various personal papers and photographs. You may view a listing of the collections and historical articles that have been digitized! The collections may also be viewed and used by appointment as staffing levels permit.

Obituary Database
Obituaries from local area newspapers dating back to 1871 are indexed in a searchable database. This service is accessible in the library and online!

Historic Grinnell Photo Galleries
Dozens of photos from our archival collection have been scanned and are available to view online. Get a glimpse of historic Grinnell in the following four galleries:

Voices from the Past
A Grinnell oral history project recorded the experiences of residents as they lived through the Great Depression and World War II. Share their memories through taped interviews, video, transcripts, and photographs. These resources are available in the library and through an online version. For optimal viewing a fast Internet connection is best.  A dial-up modem connection will work but downloading can take a very long time.