Missing U.S. Census Info.

What happened to all the information in the 1890 U.S. Census? It would sure help researching one’s family tree to be able to get this infornmation contained in this census.

Most of the records from the 1890 census were destroyed or damaged in a 1921 fire. This article from the National Archives explains what survived, and here’s an article with a lengthier explanation.

The census data for the years 1790-1880 are largely intact, as are the records for 1900-2000.

Something that may help partially fill in the 1890 gaps is that some states did a mid-decade census. In Minnesota they recommend checking the 1885 and 1895 state censuses. (Being state records, they were not stored with the US data that was burned.)