LIBRARY

The library is the heart of the Research Center.  It contains genealogical information from the United States, Canada, and the world with over 4,297  books,  plus  periodicals,   microfilms,  and microfiche, totaling nearly 5,000 searchable items. We have resources on immigration, the military, and religious records. Our collection continues to grow with books donated by members and other libraries.

In the Clallam County Records Section:  Obituraries, Pioneer family files, Native American census and school census records, Probate Index.

Obituaries:  Our collection includes obituaries from the earliest newpapers to the latest publications.  In the absence of a published obituary, we also collect death or funeral notices, and newspaper accounts of deaths resulting from accidents.  We have some obituaries for Clallam County residents who died elsewhere.  Check our online index.  Go to obituraries to print an order form.

Pioneer Family Files:  Our collection of nearly 500 Pioneer Family files is constantly expanding.  The pioneer files include information on those families who were here in Clallam County on or before 1889 when Washington achived statehood. We also have information on Early Families (those here before 1900). All files were developed by Society staff, family descendants and genealogists.  The content and size varies widely but often includes primary and original documents such as vital records, letters, documents, photographs, narratives, homestead records, newspaper articles and donated research of various family researchers.  Go to Local Resources, click on Clallam County records for the index link. 

Probate Index:  Abstracts of Clallam County original probate records from 1857 to 1965.  Full probate packets are available at the courthouse

We are fortunate to have a professional retired Librarian to oversee our growing collection. Browse our library database by clicking the LibraryThing link. Then, come in and review the books you found of interest in our collection, and use one of our convenient research areas.

A separate lending library houses books for members to check out.

Courthouse Research:  We offer research at the county courthouse for those records we don’t have in our library - civil court cases, early land records, full probate files, etc.

Surname Indexes:  Indexes for various organizations and events such as  the Port Angeles Reserve Jumpers, early Elk Club members, county school graduates and censuses, Puget Sound Cooperative Colony, Civilian Conservation Corps, Spruce Railroad Division, Naturalization and Probate Records.

Early Vital Records:  Early birth and death records from many sources prior to 1907 - newspapers, early county records, midwives’ records, etc.  After 1907, vital records were sent to the Department of Health at our state capital at Olympia, Washington.

ONGOING PROJECTS:  

Obituary and Naturalization indexing

Deaths:  We have plans to index death certificates from 1910-1930's.  This project will not be started until some of these previous projects are completed.