Gresham Oregon Family History Center

The Gresham Family History Center and its consultants are available to help you in the fun and fascinating hobby of family history or genealogy. If you’ve never done family history before, or if it’s been awhile since you have, you are in for a treat. With so many historical documents and records available online, and more being added all the time, each day can bring you a new discovery.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location &amp; Map: Address: 3600 SE, 182nd, Gresham, Oregon, 97030


 * Across from Centennial High School.
 * Park in the North parking lot. The entrance is on the north side near the rear of the building, but the actual door faces west, towards the street.
 * Location on Map

Phone: 503-665-1524

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday and Wednesday: 10:00am-9:00pm
 * Thursday 10:00am-6:00pm
 * Saturday 10:00am-2:00pm.
 * The Family History Center is open on Sundays for Family History Classes. It is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

Holiday Schedule: We will be closed Saturday, September 1st through Monday, September 3rd for the Labor Day Weekend. We will reopen Tuesday, September 4th at 10:00am.

We are closed all major holidays and General Conference weekends (the first weekends in April and in October).

Inclement Weather: In case of inclement weather, please call the Family History Center to see if it is open. The number is 503-665-1524.

What To Bring
If you are new to family history or genealogy and don't know where to start, start by gathering the information that you do have and know. Even a few names, places, and/or dates can give you a good place to start searching. Bring this information with you when you come and we can help you get started on your family research.

You might also want to consider bringing the following:


 * 1) a small notebook or steno pad
 * 2) pen or pencil
 * 3) a USB stick/flash drive/thumb drive, etc. to save information that you find
 * 4) computer glasses if you use them
 * 5) change for any copies you may make

Class Schedule:

 * Currently classes are taught through the individual wards or congregations. Please contact your ward to find out when the next family history class is scheduled to start. To find your ward go to lds.org and click on Meetinghouse Locator on the left hand side.
 * You can also learn online by clicking the ‘Learn’ button at the top of the page or by visiting our Family History Center and using our computers.

Staff Training Meetings:
Our next training has not yet been scheduled.

Collections

 * Family History Library Catalog: You may order microfilm and microfiche from the convenience of your home computer from the Family History Library Catalog and have it sent to this Family History Center to view. But check with us first: we might already have what you are looking for. We have several records available in our collection.
 * We have the complete 1850 Census records and several others. We have vital records on microfiche for Oregon, Washington and Oregon.  We also have the IGI for the United States and several other countries.

Databases and Software

 * FHC Portal: This Portal allows you free access to many subscription databases including Ancestry, Heritage Quest, World Vital Records and more.  A partial list and description follows:


 * www.Ancestry.com has 7 billion genealogical records from around the globe along with millions of family trees posted Ancestry is a great research resource.
 * www.HeritageQuestOnline.com HeritageQuest® Online is a comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids. The collection consists of  six core data sets : U.S. Federal Censuses feature the original images of every extant federal census in the United States, from 1790 through 1930, with name indexes for many decades. In total the collection covers more than 140 million names. Genealogy and local history books deliver more than 7 million digitized page images from over 28,000 family histories, local histories, and other books. Periodical Source Index (PERSI), published by the Allen County Public Library, is recognized as the most comprehensive index genealogy and local history periodicals. It contains more than 2 million records covering titles published around the world since 1800. Revolutionary War records contains original images from pension and bounty land warrant application files help to identify more than 80,000 American Army, Navy, and Marine officers and enlisted men from the Revolutionary War era. Freedman’s Bank Records, with more than 480,000 names of bank applicants, their dependents, and heirs from 1865–1874, offers valuable data that can provide important clues to tracing African American ancestors prior to and immediately after the Civil War. LexisNexis U.S. Serial Set records the memorials, petitions, private relief actions made to the U.S. Congress back to 1789, with a total of more than 480,000 pages of information.

You may also be able to access Heritage Quest Online from home via your local library’s web page and your library card.


 * www.Fold3.com This is a wonderful collection of original military records. If you have any ancestors who served in the military, this collection can allow you to access records for them and their families.
 * www.WorldVitalRecords.com Learn more about your family history and genealogy by searching through more than 3.6 billion records for the United States and the world including everything from vital records, census images, newspapers, digitized books and more.
 * FindMyPast.com Search millions of family history records from the United Kingdom.

Hardware and Equipment

 * We have nine computers and three printers available for patron use. Copies are five cents each.
 * We also have microfilm and microfiche readers.

Staff Research Specialties
 

Resources in the Local Area
You may also want to check the Oregon Historical Society which has many historical records and manuscripts that may help you in your research of Oregon and Northwest ancestors. Their website is http://www.ohs.org/  

Other Resources

 * Oregon State Library: http://oregon.gov/OSL/
 * Northwest Digital Archives: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/
 * Oregon Historic Newspapers: http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/