Washington, the Evergreen State
Welcome to the Washington State Genealogical Society's website. We are here to help connect you with resources and services so you can advance your search for your Washington State ancestors and family history.
Nestled in the beautiful northwest corner of the U.S., Washington is a state with terrain from the vast Pacific Ocean, snow-capped Cascade Mountains and forested islands in Puget Sound to rolling wheat fields and an abundance of apples, pears, grapes and hops in Eastern Washington. While Seattle is Washington’s most recognized city, known for its booming tech industry, vibrant music scene and famed coffeehouses, the center of state government is in Olympia. State landmarks include Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, the Space Needle, and mighty Columbia River.
Washington became a state in November 1889 as the nation’s 42nd state and is the only state named after a U.S. President.
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| Graduating Class of 1949, Ritzville High School, A. M. Kendrick Photograph Collection, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov. Accessed 07 Jun 2026. |
What's New
The Pioneer Pursuit program continues. We are collecting the names and genealogies of every man, woman and child who lived in Washington Territory on or before 11 Nov 1889 -- the date the territory became the 42nd state. For more information about Pioneer Pursuit, click here.
WSGS Resources and Services
Blog: Sign up for our blog to keep current with the latest genealogical happenings and events in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest.
Event Calendar: Looking for a road trip? There are genealogical events and meetings all around the state, as well as neighboring states and British Columbia.
Local Society contacts: There are more than 30 local genealogical societies around the state waiting to help you with your research.
Pioneer and First Citizen Program: Begun in 1989 to celebrate Washington's centennial, the Pioneer and First Citizen Program memorializes those Washington citizens who were early residents of the state. Commemorative certificates are available upon residency proof, as well as an index of participants.
Resource Guides: Looking for resources in a specific county? Check out these comprehensive resource guides listing everything from chambers of commerce, and local government departments to libraries, churches and newspapers.
Speakers' Bureau: If you're looking for a speaker for a society meeting, workshop or seminar, visit our Speakers' Bureau page.
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Small Group Research Trip to Edinburgh
Saturday - 06/13/2026
The British Columbia Genealogical Society (BCGS) is offering small-group genealogical research trips to Edinburgh. The next one is coming up in June. BCGS member and professional genealogist Kathy Chung is offering a fun, supportive, small-group genealogy research trip to ...
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The American Miracle (movie)
Sunday - 06/14/2026
The Seattle Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolutions and the Rainier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution are hosting a viewing of the movie “The American Miracle” on June 14, 2026. The author and nationally syndicated commentator Michael ...
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Genealogical Research in Missouri: The Basics -- HQRL
Thursday - 06/18/2026
Heritage Quest Research Library is sponsoring a class "Genealogical Research in Missouri: The Basics" with Bill Eddleman. Bill's presentation teaches about the thousands of documents available in archives across Missouri. Record survival has been excellent, with French records dating back to ...
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