About our Society:
Discover your family story
Explore the history of Kittitas County
Join a community of curious, welcoming researchers
Founded in 1983, the Kittitas County Genealogical Society (KCGS) supports anyone interested in tracing their roots - whether your family has been here for generations or your search leads far beyond our county. Our library includes local records as well as materials from other states and countries.
We publish books on county history and share a quarterly newsletter, The KCGS Mailbox, with research tips, updates, and local history. Memberships for individuals and families are available. Learn more on the Join/Renew Membership page under About Us.
Mission / Purpose
To create, stimulate and maintain interest in all matters pertaining to genealogical and historical information.
To Collect and preserve genealogical and historical records.
To promote interest in family history.
To hold classes for beginning and advanced genealogical research.
To publish bulletins, papers, and articles.
About Our County:
(for Genealogical Researchers)
Kittitas County
Pronounced KITT-I-Tass. Located in central Washington state on the dry side of the Cascade Mountain range. The "rain shadow" climate - only 8 to 9 inches of precipitation a year - often shows up in early farming, ranching, and homestead records.
Geography & Migration
The county extends from the Cascade crest to the Columbia River. I-90 and earlier roads and railroads have shaped travel and settlement since the late 1800's. I-82 begins in Ellensburg and links families to southeast Washington and Oregon.
Communities in Records
Ellensburg (county seat)
Cle Elum, Roslyn, Ronald
South Cle Elum, Easton, Liberty
Thorp, Kittitas and Vantage
Research Note
Ellensburg is about 100 miles east of Seattle and 170 miles west of Spokane along I-90 - helpful when tracing family movement across Washington.