Obituary Requests

Obituary lookup is available for all five counties in the Heartland region. There is no charge for this service. Please provide as much information as possible about the deceased (name, date of death, where they lived). Contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

HeritageQuest® Online is a comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids.
Discover the amazing history of you with HeritageQuest Online.
It delivers an essential collection of genealogical and historical sources – with coverage dating back to the 1700s – that can help people find their ancestors and discover a place’s past.
Available directly inside the library or from home with your barcode and PIN. – 

Please Note That This Heritage Quest Service Will No Longer Be Available After May 31, 2024. 

Museums and Historical Societies

Avon Park Depot Museum & Historical Society. Newspaper archive, other artifacts on AP history.

Cracker Trail Museum (Hardee County). Photographs and other items concerning Florida’s Heartland.

DeSoto County Historical Society. Operates Ingraham Museum and research library. Check opening hours on their website, or contact to make an appointment.

Okeechobee Historical Society Museum & Schoolhouse. 1850 US Hwy 98 N, Okeechobee, 34972. 863 763-4344. Collection of historic materials, open by appointment.

Sebring Historical Society. Large research collection with newspapers, city directories, and other materials. Covers all of Highlands County, including Avon Park and Lake Placid.

Library Special Collections

DeSoto County Library

• Selected issues of The Arcadian.

Hardee County Library

• Microfilm of Florida Advocate and Herald Advocate.
• Wauchula City Directories from the 1970s and 1980s.

Okeechobee County Library

• Bound copies of Okeechobee News issues, 1953-2006.
• Obituary index and files for Okeechobee County and Glades County.

Sebring Public Library

See Sebring Historical Society, located on the lower level of the library building