Research

The Jefferson County Genealogical Society library and collections are housed in the Jefferson County Historical Society’s Research Center. In addition to the assistance of Genealogical Society research center volunteers and the JCGS library, the Research Center houses the archives and vast collections of the Jefferson County Historical Society.

The Historical Society collections include newspapers; vertical files on subjects and surnames; thousands of documents in the manuscript collection; information on buildings and houses; maps; thousands of photographs; city directories; maritime treasures, and much more.  Please review the information on the Historical Society’s site before visiting the Research Center if you are desiring to access their collections. The Genealogical Society has access to the JCHS vertical files and some microfiche records. Note: Appointments are required through the JCHS for accessing other JCHS collections.

JCGS has indexed and cataloged about 400,000 records covering myriad aspects of the lives of Jefferson County residents — including births and deaths, land records, voting records, property taxes, newspaper articles, military service, and even dry cleaning records and the issuance of dog licenses. More than 250,000 of those records are accessible online through JCGS data records.

If you are unable to visit the Research Center, JCGS would be happy to assist you with your research. Go to the Research Request  page for details. You might also consider visiting the Washington State Digital Archives for state-wide searches.