Blaine County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Blaine County, Idaho ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death
 * Church

Description
The county was named for James G. Blaine, U.S. Secretary of State. The County Seat is Hailey and was founded March 5, 1895. It is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Blaine County Courthouse 206 First Avenue South, Hailey, Idaho 83333 Phone: 208-788-8040 County Clerk has birth and death records 1907-1911, marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1885.

Parent County
5 March 1895: Blaine County, Idaho was created from Alturas County.

Boundary Changes
30 January 1913: Power County created from parts of Bingham, Blaine, and Oneida Counties

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Resources
The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to entries with names, images, or information.

Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Blaine County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and at the Idaho State Archives in Boise. Details of the county records in these respective institutions can be obtained from their online catalogs or listings. Original records which have been microfilmed and more recent records are in the county courthouse in Hailey.

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Blaine County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Blaine County, Idaho Cemetery Records.

For the cemeteries in or immediately adjacent to the cities, please see the city pages for the cities listed above.

Census
The 1890 federal census for Idaho was destroyed. However, the Idaho State Historical Society Public Archives and Research Library is creating a list of 1890 Idaho residents by indexing a variety of records, 1885-1894. This reconstructed list will substitute for the destroyed 1890 federal census.

For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
In 1930, Blaine County was part of Blaine Stake.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Blaine County, Idaho prior to 1950.
 * For original or later records, check with the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
 * Many of the records to about 1948 are available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.

County Commissioners' Records
The minute books of the County Commissioners contain interesting tidbits of history about the county as well as the names of individuals appealing to the County Commissioners for action on issues of concern to them. Minutes of those meetings were recorded from the formation of the county, for most counties. Some counties now post the minutes of current meetings online.

Most of these records have been preserved in the county courthouses of the State of Idaho. Few have been microfilmed. Contact the county clerk for information about years covered and availability.

Court Records
Some of the early court records of Blaine County, Idaho have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho. The records filmed include civil suits, divorce papers, judgment dockets, etc. Copies of these microfilmed court records are also available at the in Salt Lake City, Utah or at any of the Library's Family History Centers. Additional court records and more recent records are housed at the Blaine County courthouse in Hailey, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there. Some of the Blaine County court records that have been microfilmed are:


 * Court records, 1875-1882
 * Power of attorney, 1865-1921; index, 1865-1896

Judgment Books

 * Judgments, 1865-1866; dockets, 1865-1872; index, 1865-1914

(Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions.)

Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.

History
A brief history of Blaine County is available online.

Online County Histories


 * History of Alturas and Blaine Counties, Idaho. c1950. By George A. McLeod. Hailey, Idaho : Hailey Times. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Land and Property
Land and Property records are generally recorded in the county courthouse of the county in which the transaction took place. For original records of Blaine County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Hailey, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many county records of Blaine County and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed some pertaining to land and property. The following can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:


 * Declaration of homesteads, 1881-1885; index, 1881-1884
 * Deeds, 1863-1926; index, 1863-1883; bonds for deeds, 1865-1889
 * Miscellaneous mining and land and property records, 1863-1889
 * Separate property of married women, 1887-1920

Maps

 * An 1895 map of Blaine and surrounding counties is available online.
 * A digital Blaine County Idaho map is available online.

Military History and Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Blaine County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their ) and are also available online at Ancestry.com, for a subscription fee. The original cards are maintained in the Southeast Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in East Point, Georgia and have been microfilmed by the National Archives as their Microcopy M1509.

Online Records

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Miscellaneous Series
Often overlooked by the genealogist, this group of volumes may contain affidavits for citizenship, final disposition of estates, divorce decrees, and many other types of valuable documents. The content varies from county to county, year to year and from clerk to clerk. When the estate case files, civil or criminal files are not available or have been destroyed, you may find key documents recorded here. Most counties will have an index to this series and it is a must search if the information you are seeking is not found elsewhere.

The Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho, does not appear to have microfilmed copies of the Miscellaneous Series of Blaine County, though the copy which the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has, noted that the records can be found in the Idaho State Archives. One can check with the Blaine County courthouse in Hailey where current and perhaps original copies should be found. Those copies held by the can be viewed either at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Records
 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index

Current

 * Mountain Express

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed early newspapers from Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley in Blaine County. These can be accessed in the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Pension Records
The following record has been microfilmed and and indexed, and the index is available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho and online. The Blaine County Mother's Pension records are among those indexed. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, has a microfilm copy of these records which can be viewed at the Library or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

The original should be in the Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey, Idaho and can be viewed there.


 * Mother's pension records, 1913-1932 Idaho. Probate Court (Blaine County) \

Probate Records
The existing original probate records of Blaine County should be housed in the county courthouse which is located in Hailey, Idaho. Records can be accessed by visiting the courthouse.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many of the earlier Blaine County records, and these can be accessed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, also has some Blaine County probate records on microfilm, and the following can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:

Online Probate Records


 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1883-1928
 * , 1883-1962
 * (Originals at the Idaho State Archives)

Taxation
Any existing tax assessment rolls for Blaine County should be in the courthouse in Hailey and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed the, Lincoln and Alturas counties and these films can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.

Birth
Online Records
 * 1861-1911 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch — index and images

The Birth Registers for Blaine County, 1907-1911, have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Blaine County are included in and recorded at the state level. These records are restricted for a period of one hundred years from the time of the individual's birth but can be obtained by following the guidelines as issued by the State of Idaho. See the Vital Records section under the subject Idaho for more details.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has made 1315 births in Blaine County available online.

Marriage

 * 1800-1987 - Idaho, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $

Nearly 1700 marriages, 1890-1941, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

Online Records
 * 1864-1976 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1864-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

Deaths
Online Records
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1938-1961 - at FamilySearch — index

The death registers for Blaine County, 1907-1911 have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, the BYU-Idaho Library in Rexburg and at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After 1911, deaths occurring in Blaine County are included in the state-wide registration program. These records are restricted for a period of fifty years from the time of the individual's death but can be obtained by following the guidelines as issued by the State of Idaho. See the Vital Records section under Idaho for details.

Copies of death certificates from 1911-1954 are on microfilm and can be used at the Idaho State Archives, the Family History Library, BYU-Idaho University Library in Rexburg and several other locations.

A state-wide index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 is BYUI Special Collections. Efforts to expand this index to 1960 are underway. Another version is the US GenWeb Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has made available online 247 Blaine County deaths or burials.

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Many public libraries provide internet access to sites of value to the family historian. Some have special collections of historical and cultural interest, as well. The following libraries may have some resources of value, but use of some or all of them may require a visit to the library.


 * Bellevue Public Library 115 E Pine Bellevue, ID 83313 Phone: (208) 788-2128 Website
 * Little Wood River District Library 16 Panther Ave Carey, ID 83320 Phone: (208) 823-4510
 * Hailey Public Library 7 W Croy St Hailey, ID 83333 Phone: (208) 788-2036 Website
 * The Community Library 415 Spruce Avenue N PO Box 2168 Ketchum, Idaho 83340-2168 (208) 726-3493 Website
 * Ketchum Sun Valley Historical Society Heritage &amp;

Ski Museum‎ 180 1st Ave E, Ketchum, ID 83340 (208) 726-8118‎


 * Blaine County Historical Museum 213 North Main Street (physical address) P.O. Box 124 (mailing address) Hailey, Idaho 83333 (208) 788-1801 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Carey Idaho Ward Family History Center
 * Hailey Idaho Family History Center

Websites

 * The Blaine County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * Blaine County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Blaine County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)