Speaking of Archives....

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Local Archives and Other Repositories


After Saturday's inspiring panel discussion about how to find the majority of the genealogy and family history records which have been collected for research, we thought to consult our own repository: the blog index on our great website, skcgs.org. 

Since the beginning, we have been visiting local area archives and museums and reporting back to you, our readers. Katie led us off with Black Diamond, Washington about the history of Black Diamond and the great Black Diamond Museum and Historical Society. More here also her visit to the New England Historical and Genealogical Society in Boston.

Cheri Sayer came to SKCGS from the Greater Kent Historical Society and she also visited the Highline Heritage Museum. Note: Highline Heritage has a new link. Barbara Mattoon visited and wrote about the Des Moines Museum;  read on to see even more examples of local repositories. Nearly every community in south King County has a museum or historic facility; we need to take advantage of this wealth of local information.

Federal records will generally be found in the National Archives or one of their branches. Our local branch is pictured above. We used to visit in order to view microfilmed records; most of those are now available online. However, there are invaluable original records housed there; from the beginning of American arrival in the northwest until now.

King County is also blessed with the Northwest branch of the Washington State Archives, now located on the Bellevue College campus, and the King County Archives as well as numerous special archives and museums; and be sure to check the Seattle Public Library Special Collections. They were unable to join us Saturday, unfortunately. King County Library System also features some archival collections.

Another local resource was mentioned in Colletta Seminar, the Public Law Library of King County, now found at https://kcll.org/contact-us/. Dr. Colletta shared many experiences in the Library of Congress and the wealth of records which can be found there. 

Research Trip to North Carolina and Tennessee reveals both the value of going to the places our ancestors lived, and also that calling sites ahead to verify that they will be open when we can visit is important. Thanks Linda for this tip!

Research Workshop reminded us that our most valuable archive sometimes are in our own homes, in the memories of our relatives, neighbors and friends of those whom we are researching, and locals where they lived. A great reason to "go there!" 

In Shedding Your Genealogy "Stuff" we investigated some of the national and local repositories where genealogically valuable materials can be gifted. We started with how to share your research online, for free, now. Along with the value of a public well-researched tree, and well-sourced biographical information and stories, public trees are often a great way to find cousin researchers to further your mutual quest. 

What Are The Neighbors Up To This Summer? looks around the state of Washington and over the Columbia River to Portland, Oregon to see what those with local research might find useful. 

In Digital Public Library of America, MaryLynn not only reveals the riches available to us in the DPLA, but also that it opens up dozens of public library collections to us as well. As both our panelists described Saturday morning, public libraries are also repositories and often accept donations which meet their collection focus. If you have people from a place with a local library, find out if they would accept a copy of your book or even a short family history for their vertical files. See also WorldCat for libraries around the world.

“I Can’t Research, The Library is Closed”

Barbara showed in this post that we can research even when the library or archive IS closed! There are ways to find what you seek online, although you may have to wait until it is sent you. As Melissa Barker reminded us, a phone call can open doors (and records access) when you finally can travel; or even if you never will be able to do so. Archivists and librarians are eager to share the records their work conserves, organizes and makes available to us. 

In Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Marcia Ford shared with us the original records she found at Ball State, which illustrates the point made Saturday—begin locally, and work your way out, unless you know what you seek is at a specific repository. 


When Barbara Mattoon visited Auburn, she found a south King County treasure at White River Valley Museum. Then she capped that post by asking their curator Hilary Pittenger to speak to us about Preserving Your Family History; Pittenger has permitted us to keep that recording live on our website. 


Please visit some of your favorite local museums, libraries, archives and other repositories, and send us a report! Whether here locally, or far afield, the Genealogical Proof Standard teaches us that we need to look everywhere to tell the full story!


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Share your story with us! send to m.strickland@skcgs.org






Valorie Zimmerman



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