SEDGWICK COUNTY, CO HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Sedgwick County, Colorado: A Genealogical Overview
Situated at the extreme northeastern corner of Colorado, Sedgwick county is a land rich in the history of westward expansion, transportation, and High Plains agriculture. Its identity is deeply connected to the Overland Trail, the Pony Express, the transcontinental railroad, and the legacy of Fort Sedgwick.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Sedgwick county’s formation from Logan county, which was itself formed from Weld county, is the most critical step for tracing pioneer families back to the territorial era.
- 1889: County Formed: Sedgwick county was established on April 9, 1889, by an act of the Colorado General Assembly.
- Parent County: It was created from the eastern portion of Logan county.
- Name Origin: The county was named for Fort Sedgwick, a major U.S. Army post located south of Julesburg from 1864 to 1871. The fort was named in honor of Major General John Sedgwick, a Union Army hero killed during the Civil War.
- County Seat History: Julesburg was named the county seat upon the county’s creation and has remained so. It is important for researchers to note that the town of Julesburg has existed in four different locations throughout its history due to floods and changes in railroad alignment.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The high plains of what is now Sedgwick county were the traditional hunting grounds of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux peoples. The South Platte River valley served as a vital corridor.
- Transportation Hub: The area’s history is defined by transportation. It was a key stop on the Overland Trail, the route of the Pony Express, and the site of the first transcontinental telegraph line. The original town of Julesburg was a famous and often rough-and-tumble stagecoach station.
- Railroad and Ranching: The arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1867 was the most significant event in the county’s settlement, making Julesburg a major “end-of-track” supply town. Following the railroad, large-scale cattle ranching dominated the economy. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, homesteaders developed a thriving agricultural economy based on dryland farming of wheat, corn, and sugar beets.
- Battle of Julesburg: In January and February of 1865, the original town of Julesburg was the site of a major retaliatory raid by Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota warriors in response to the Sand Creek Massacre, an event known as the Battle of Julesburg.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Sedgwick county.
- Courthouse:
- Sedgwick County Clerk and Recorder: Located at 315 Cedar Street, Julesburg, CO 80737. This office is the primary repository for land records (deeds) and marriage licenses from 1889 to the present. For records from 1887-1889, researchers must consult Logan County records. For records prior to 1887, consult Weld County records.
- Sedgwick County Combined Court: Located at the same courthouse address, this court holds probate, divorce, and other court records.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in Denver holds birth records from 1910 and death records from 1900. More recent certificates can often be obtained from the Northeast Colorado Health Department.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1889 to the present are held by the Sedgwick County Clerk and Recorder.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Julesburg Public Library: Located at 220 West 5th Street, Julesburg, CO 80737. The library works closely with the Fort Sedgwick Historical Society, and together they are the best local resource for family histories, photographs, newspapers, and other genealogical materials.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Logan county, CO
- Phillips county, CO
- Deuel county, NE
- Keith county, NE