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

Description
The County was named for the Walla Walla people. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
315 West Main Street PO Box 836 Walla Walla, WA 99362-0259 Phone: 509.527.3221 Walla Walla County Courthouse County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1860.

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:

History Timeline

 * Groups that lived in the Walla Walla Valley included the Nez Perce, Cayuses, Umatillas, and Walla Wallas.
 * 1805 - Among the earliest records of Euro-Americans coming to the Walla Walla Valley are those from the expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
 * 1836 - Presbyterian Missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman arrived in the Walla Walla Valley and established a mission.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1846 - Joint American-British occupation of the Oregon country ended and the Treaty of Oregon established the present international border between Canada and the United States.
 * 1853 - Washington Territory was created out of Oregon Territory and Isaac Stevens was appointed the new territory’s first governor.
 * 1854 - April 25, Walla Walla County is formed.
 * 1855 May - Stevens arrived at the future site of the city of Walla Walla to negotiate treaties with the Nez Perce, Yakima, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse tribes.
 * 1859 - The land east of the Cascades was declared fully open for settlement, a small collection of cabins, shacks, and tents were situated around Steptoe’s fort and five land claims had been located in the surrounding area.
 * 1880 - A gold rush in the early 1860s, followed by a growing agricultural industry, made Walla Walla the largest city in Washington Territory.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives
 * Index to the 1880 census of Walla Walla County, Washington Territory (For this digitized publication, go to ancestry.com ($) if the link does not work, click Search, then select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search.)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1885 • 1887
 * State-funded: 1910


 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Walla Walla

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Power of Attorney Records 1994 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Case files 1868-1889; District Court case files 1860-1899.
 * Walla Walla Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
 * The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Directories
County and City Directories exist for Walla Walla County. Ancestry has searchable directories from 1902 to 1935.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Japanese World War II Files, 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, (Japanese Internment) Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 from the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives

Genealogies
Note: Community Tree lists Lewis County, from which Skamania (later Walla Walla) County was formed in 1854. Very early residents of the Walla Walla area would be included.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Land Records 1994 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Plats and Surveys Records 1994 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1994 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Local Histories

 * History of Old Walla Walla County Volume 1; Volume 2 by William Denison Lyman [(Chicago) S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.,1918] online at Washington History
 * Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, by W.D. Lyman online at Hathi Trust Digital Library.
 * An illustrated history of Walla Walla County, state of Washington
 * Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places


 * Family Maps of Walla Walla County, Washington (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Walla Walla County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Columbia River
 * York Factory Express 1824 from Fort Vancouver to York Factory, Manitoba, Canada
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Military Records

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Some military records that include this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.
 * Fort Walla Walla Museum for military history

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Declarations of intention 1886-1907; Naturalization index 1850-1960; Petitions for naturalization 1898-1904; Petitions for naturalization and petition evidence 1904-1906; Petitions for naturalization, petition evidence, special naturalizations 1890-1904.
 * Washington State Digital Archives has digitized various types of naturalization-related records for Walla Walla County:
 * Naturalization Records, 1906-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Adult Applications and Orders of Naturalization, 1898-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Register of Declarations of Intention, 1886-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Register of Minor Applications and Orders of Naturalization, 1890-1904 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

 * Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Walla Walla, Washington)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library
 * Washington State Library has early Walla Walla newspapers online.
 * Walla Walla County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Other Records
Topics for Walla Walla County Ethnic, Political and Religious %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Public Records

 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Birth Records, 1871-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * See also Walla Walla County Vital Records at WAGenWeb.org

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Marriage affidavits 1924-1939; affidavits and reports 1891-1950; applications 1936-1985; certificates 1865-1986; licenses 1869-1905; licenses indexes; Marriage records 1924-1947; Marriage index 1942-1947; registers 1891-1913; returns 1891-1939.
 * 1891-1899 Marriage Affidavits, 1891-1899, 1917-1939 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1922-1926 Marriage Certificates, 1922-1926 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-2012 Marriage Records, 1865-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1862-1910 'Marriages from 22 Feb 1862 to 4 Oct 1910 are listed on the Western States Marriage Index website.

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Coroner's docket 1913-1933; Death registers &amp; index 1883-1913; Death registers 1891-1907; Death returns 1903-1906.
 * Death Records 1888-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Divorce

 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Family History Centers

 * Columbia Basin Washington Family History Center
 * Dayton Washington Family History Center
 * Kennewick Washington Family History Center
 * Pasco Washington Family History Center
 * Richland Washington Family History Center
 * Walla Walla Washington Family History Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries
Resources for Walla Walla County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation. Northwest Archives 345 Boyer Ave. Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: (509) 527-5111Website
 * Check websites and catalogs, such as items in (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for Walla Walla County.
 * "... curates materials that document the history of Whitman College and the Walla Walla region as well as rare books and other special collections." Digital Collections includes directories as early as 1881, photos of buildings, maps, serendipity

Libraries
 * Whitman College Library 345 Boyer Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: 509-527-5111 Website
 * Walla Walla Public Library 238 E. Alder Street Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: 509-527-4388 Website
 * Burbank Heights Library 875 Lake Road Burbank, WA 99323 Phone: 509-545-6549 Website
 * Prescott Library 103 D Street Prescott, WA 99348 Phone: 509-849-2411 Website
 * Touchet Community Library 161 Hanson Road Touchet, WA 99360 Phone: 509-394-2329 Website
 * Walla Walla County Rural Library District 37 Jade Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: 509-527-3284 Website
 * Weller Public Library 212 Main Street Waitsburg, WA 99361 Phone: 509-337-8149 Website

Museums

Fort Walla Walla MuseumWebsite Whitman Mission National Historic SiteWebsite

Societies Walla Walla Valley Genealogical Society P. O. BOX 115 WALLA WALLA, WA 99362-0003

Websites

 * Walla Walla County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb -Walla Walla WA
 * StateofUS.com
 * WorldCat
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
 * WAGenWeb Walla Walla County
 * USGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb -Walla Walla WA (Free)

Sites that search the Internet for Walla Walla County records online: Major catalogs to offline genealogical records: Catalogs refer to books, microfilm, manuscripts, and/or Internet images and indexes for various topics.
 * Walla Walla County Facts at StateofUS.com. (It is mistakenly labeled "Walla Walla County Alabama Facts"
 * WorldCat To find libraries near you that have items of interest, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
 * See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.