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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Civilian Conservation Corps crew splitting logs at Moran State Park. Photographer: unknown. State Parks and Recreation Commission Photoraphs of Park Development, 1933 - 1938, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed: 30 Nov 2023. For more information or to learn about related records, contact the Washington State Archives at (360) 586-1492, or email research@sos.wa.gov.
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What's New
The Pioneer Pursuit Program continues. More than 3,300 individuals who lived in Washington Territory on or before Nov. 11, 1889 have been identified and genealogies compiled. Visit the Pioneer Pursuit Index. For more information, email Info@wasgs.org.
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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Beginning Genealogy
Monday - 12/04/2023
The South King County Genealogical Society is sponsoring a beginning genealogy class. The topic is “Immigration, Emigration and Naturalization Records.” More information at https://www.skcgs.org/meetings-events/classes/bgc
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Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society
Tuesday - 12/05/2023
The program at the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society's meeting is a celebration of SVGS founder Marietta Roth. For more information, click here.
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Legacy Family Tree
Tuesday - 12/05/2023
The program at the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society's Legacy Family Tree special interest group is to finish the free Legacy Family Tree Webinars video: Sources and Citations Made Simple, Standard, and Powerful. For more information, visit https://tpcgs.org/eventListings.php?nm=43. ...
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