Whatcom Genealogical Society

Mission Statement

Whatcom Genealogical Society is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting genealogical and family history research and to preserving local historical records needed for the search.

Regular meetings are held through out the year on the 2nd Monday of the month at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Visitors are always welcome.

All Society funds are used to publish local material, purchase materials for reference use by the public in the genealogcial collection at the Bellingham Public Library, and provide educational programs.

Since the Society's founding in 1969, members have diligently collected and published genealogical materials from public records, regional and state archives, cemeteries and privately held papers.

Whatcom Genealogical Society was incorporated in the state of Washington on 14 May 1980. Go to Washington State Regulations for NonProfit Corporations for further information.

Join us now and apply for membership.


Whatcom Genealogical Society Officers

President: Jackie Peter

Vice-President: Linda K. Lawson

Secretary: Sharon Bishop

Treasurer: Carol Signett

Committees:

Library: Donna Sand

Publicity: Debby McCabe

Bulletin: Merrily Lawson

Education:

Membership: Nancy Parker

Fund Raising:

Sales: Jim Grinton

Research Aide: Rick Read

Publications / Records: Linda K. Lawson

By-Laws     Standing Rules  


Research Assistance

offered by

Whatcom Genealogical Society

P.O. Box 1493
Bellingham, WA 98227-1493

The Society offers help with local research as a fund raising aspect of the society.  A donation covering the cost of copies and $10.00 per hour is requested for any research done.  Please contact  Rick Read, Research Aide, with your questions.  You may submit queries to The Bulletin or find free help at the Bellingham Public Library every Wednesday, 10 a.m .- 2 p.m.


Bellingham
Family History Center

2925 James Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

Just south of Sunset Drive - west of I-5 at Mt. Baker Hwy, Exit 255
360-738-1849

Hours:
Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Wednesday & Thursday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Closed on holidays and for periodic maintenance

To serve family history researchers, the Bellingham Family History Center provides trained staff on duty during operating hours to assist members and non-members alike in their quest for information on their ancestors.

Equipment and Information Available


4 microfilm and 2 microfiche readers with free high speed filtered Internet access and also free access to all Ancestry.com content; 1 microfilm/fiche scanner/ printer (10 cents per page); 1 photo copier (10 cents per page). Computer printouts are 10 cents per page.


The small book library includes:
Bellingham / Whatcom county Directories for most years 1905/6 - 1980.
General referene books: 11 books on Missouri; 14 on New York; 17 on Pennsylvania; 20 on Virginia, 10 for Native Americans; 11 on Canada; 31 cover England; 20, Ireland, 20 Scandinavia; and 40 for other European countries and more.

Some of the many microforms on indefinite loan include:
Washington State Death (1907-1979) and Birth Indexes (1907-1954)
Civil War Index
Ontario, Canada, Death Index
1881 Census of British Isles, England & Wales, and Scotland.
British Civil Registrations on microfiche beginning July 1837.

Also available is a collection of Whatcom County obituaries from about 1945 through the mid 1980's with a few from 1990-1995.


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