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Racine Resources:

The Research Center at the Racine Heritage Museum
http://www.racineheritagemuseum.org/Research-Center.aspx

An invaluable resource -- Included in the collections of the Research Center is their Surname Card File that contains indexes of newspaper articles, most county cemetery tombstone information, 1858 county plat entries, and naturalization records.

Kenosha Resources:

The Kenosha History Center
http://www.kenoshahistorycenter.org/

The Kenosha History Center is the headquarters of the Kenosha County Historical Society. In addition to their historical museum area, the Kenosha History Center also has a collection of materials relating to Kenosha County. This collection is maintained in the Center's Archives and includes newspapers, obituaries, maps, city directories, family histories, school yearbooks and various other manuscript materials dating back to the 1830s.

The Kenosha Public Library's History & Genealogy Resources
http://www.kenosha.lib.wi.us/links/genealogy2.html

This site includes a large collection of links to genealogy online tools and websites selected by the librarians at the Kenosha Public Library.

National and State Resources:

The National Archives' Resources for Genealogists and Family Historians
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/index.html

The National Archives -- sometimes referred to as the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) -- is the Federal agency responsible for maintaining the country's historical record. They have a huge variety of materials of interest to genealogists and history researchers including census, naturalization, land and military service records. Definitely worth a visit, the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) section will allow you to instantly retrieve records from their many databases with a broad search term such as a location or surname.

The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/

The UWDCC is a massive digital database of manuscripts, photographs, maps, oral histories and other historical materials relating to Wisconsin and its people. "The History Collection" and the "State of Wisconsin" collection are likely the two most useful collections for genealogists, but there are many other resources available at UWDCC for both family and general historians.

WHS Directory of Wisconsin Local Historical Societies
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/localhistory/directory/

This Wisconsin Historical Society page is a statewide, searchable listing of the websites of local historical societies and museums. Limit your search to Southeastern to find links to the Burlington Historical Society, the Caledonia Historical Society, the Kenosha County Historical Society, and the Muskego Historical Society among many others.

Wisconsin Marine Historical Society's Great Lakes Marine Collection
www.mpl.org/ship/

A cooperative project between the WMHS and the Milwaukee Public Library, the WMHS Great Lakes Marine Collection includes a searchable database of over 10,000 records on Great Lakes vessels. In addition to the ship records, the web site also includes a variety of digitized maps and ship diagrams and illustrations.

Wisconsin's Maritime Trails
http://www.maritimetrails.org/

A partnership of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, this site encourages divers, snorkelers, boaters, maritime enthusiasts, and tourists to visit and enjoy Wisconsin's diverse collection of maritime resources. The site includes information on lighthouses, museums, and shipwrecks and includes streaming video and more.

FamilySearch.Org
https://familysearch.org/

FamilySearch.org is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations. Find images of State and National Censuses as well as Vital Records here. You may choose to participate in the program by volunteering to transcribe many of the newly digitized records.

Other useful resources & tools for the Genealogist and Local Historian:

WHS Guide to Beginning Your Family History
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/genealogy/beginners/

A concise, well-organized "ten step" introduction to those just beginning the fascinating process of tracing their own family and its heritage. There are many other excellent resources available to family researchers through the Wisconsin Historical Society, but this is an excellent introduction/primer for genealogists.