Local Government Records

Legal ownership of local government records can be held by only the local office that created the records or the State Archives of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Through the years the Institute has accepted a number of local government records that have been donated by individuals and government offices. In 1998 a formal agreement was signed between North Dakota State University and the State Historical Society of North Dakota. It designates the Institute as a depository for archival resources from Cass County and the City of Fargo. This would include city, school district, park district, and county records.

Collecting Areas

City of Fargo No formal transfer agreement for non-current records has been established with the City of Fargo. Records of departments have and will be accepted if offered. To date the Institute has responded to various offers of records, but it has not actively sought out such records.

Cass County, N.D. Only a limited number of record series have been offered to the Institute to date. Such records are not sought out, rather the Institute will respond to offers as received.

Cass County School Districts The Institute is the official repository for the historical records of the Fargo Public School District. It also has accepted the records of numerous rural school districts in Cass County that were closed due to consolidation.

Considerations

Being a depository for local government records does not require the Institute to accept all offers of such records. Acceptance by the Institute will be based upon:

Official state records schedules
Potential research use
Volume and physical condition
Processing requirements

Offers of records not accepted by the Institute will be forwarded to the state archivist. The Institute does not collect local government records beyond Cass County, and such offers will be forwarded to the state archivist.