State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Research Division.

A Research Division at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (WIHV85-A216) can be traced back to the 19th century. Around 1920 the Research Division was reorganized, transferring its direct responsibilities from the Library (WIHV86-A1853) to administration. In 1947 the Research Division was reestablished as a separate division. Responsibility for the manuscripts section was transferred from the Library to the division at this time. In 1962, the manuscripts section was moved to the newly created Division of Archives and Manuscripts (WIHV86-A1191). In subsequent years, the Division often consisted of one permanent staff position designated the State Historian. In 1983 the Research Division was joined with Archives and Manuscripts, the Library, and the Editorial Division in a unit designated the Division of Archives and Research Services. In 1996, the State Historian became head of a newly-created Division of Public History (WIHV97-A89) and the Research Division was abolished. In Wisconsin State Archives' database entries, the above form of name is used for all appropriate records dating 1947-1996.

The Research Division was responsible for conducting scholarly research in the history of the nation in general and of Wisconsin in particular. From the mid-1970s to 1982, it included an Office of Oral History.