About The Corporations Index
This index contains incorporation papers and charter documents for thousands of Wisconsin corporations that are housed in the Society Archives. These include corporations that existed in some capacity between 1848 and 1993.
Records typically contain the following types of documents:
- Original articles of incorporation
- Amendments
- Merger and dissolution documents
- Annual reports
- Documents showing changes in officers
How to View Records
The corporation records are not viewable online. Only the index is online.
To view the actual records in person, please note the following for each of the records you would like to retrieve:
- The call number (Series 356 for Domestic, Series 357 for Non-Stock)
- The corporate ID number
- The box number
Contact Ask Archives one to two weeks before your visit so we can gather the corporation files you select. You may choose to review the records in the Society's Archives Research Room in Madison, Wisconsin, or at one of the 13 Area Research Centers located throughout the state. There is no charge for requesting and reviewing these records.
To request copies, please note the following for each of the records you would like copied:
- The call number (Series 356 for Domestic, Series 357 for Non-Stock)
- The corporate ID number
- The box number
Please note: You can request all documents in a file. Or, you can request only original articles of incorporation, last annual report and dissolution documents. Requesting only the original articles usually provides all available clues to track the assets of a corporation that is no longer active. This approach also allows you to determine if stock in the defunct corporation has value.
For costs and terms, or to place an order for copies, see our fees page.
Attribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Accessing Corporations Records
The actual corporation records are not viewable online. Only the indexes are online.
Perspective Map of Beloit
1890
Bird's-eye map of Beloit with insets of Williams Engine Works, Eclipse Wind Engine Co., and John Foster & Co. Turtle Creek is in the lower section, and the Rock River is in the center. At the botto...
Eclipse Wind Engine Co. Catalog
1880
Page from Eclipse Wind Engine Co. [Beloit, Wisconsin] catalog featuring an illustration of an Eclipse Wind Engine installed in a barn. A cut-away view shows some of the workings inside, and how the...
