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Upcoming Events List

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. 
 
Kettle Falls High School bsketball team, 1934. Photo by Leo's Studio. Crossroads on the Columbia Collection, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed: 03 Sep 2024. For more information or to learn about related records, contact the Washington State Archives at (360) 586-1492, or email research@sos.wa.gov.
What's New
 
WSGS is still accepting family histories of any man, woman or child who lived in Washington Territory on or before 11 Nov 1889. To date, we have over 3,600 people indexed here. For more information about the Pioneer Pursuit program, 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.
 
Cemetery Project: A comprehensive list of current and abandoned cemeteries is available here.
 
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.
 
Support to Local Societies: The WSGS is here to support local genealogical societies. We promote local genealogical events and news free of charge.  We offer local societies financial grants for innovative projects and/or education assistance.
 

Clallam County Genealogical Society
Saturday - 09/14/2024
The program at the Clallam County Genealogical Society meeting is "Ancestry Pro Tools: Not Just for Professionals" by Claudia Breland. Earlier this year Ancestry.com rolled out an additional service called “Pro Tools,” which costs $10 per month.  This service includes charts, reports and ...
Seattle Genealogical Society
Saturday - 09/14/2024
The Seattle Genealogical Society is holding its General Membership Meeting. The topic of discussion will be what SGS will prioritize in the years ahead as a result of 20+ of our members gathering for our June strategic planning retreat. Come find ...
Second Saturday Series
Saturday - 09/14/2024
The Seattle Genealogical Society is hosting its Second Saturday Series. Join Kimball Carter, CG, as he shares insights gained in his more than 45 years of family history research experience. For more information, visit the SGS website.