Online & Local History Resources
In addition to resources the Issaquah History Museums houses, there are a number of alternative free online and local history resources to support the study of Issaquah, surrounding areas and Washington State. If you have any suggestions to help us expand this page, please contact us.
On-line Resources
City of Issaquah Ordinances & Minutes
Text of ordinances and council meeting minutes from 1892 to the present day, and resolutions from 1970 to the present day.
Washington State Digital Archives
Information from a variety of historic records has been organized by the Secretary of State and is available for free at this web site. Among the records included are marriage, birth, death, census, naturalization, and court records. Not all records are available for all counties in Washington state at this time.(See the tutorial on our blog)
Death Certificates of Finns in King County
Transcriptions of King County death certificates (1892 to 1947) of anyone born in Finland, or of Finnish descent. The certificates are arranged by date of death, and the transcriptions of some names may not be completely accurate.
Flintofts Crematory and Funeral Home
Online obituaries are available for many or most of Flintofts’ clients since 1999. Obituaries are searchable by last name.
The King County Parcel Viewer
The parcel viewer reveals property information (including the year the house was built). You can search by address, tax parcel information, or use a map to zero in on a particular property. A limited number of recent property transfers (within the last 20 years) are also be listed. For more complete property transfer information, you’ll need to visit the Puget Sound Regional Archives. (See tutorials on our blog)
Find-A-Grave
Many graves at Issaquah’s Hillside Cemetery have been recorded in this online database. Grave information for cemeteries all over the United States is also available. If you are unable to find a grave through this site, it may mean only that the grave has not been indexed yet.
Ellis Island Records
This free resource links visitors to immigration records from 1892 to 1924. Site users may view images of the original ship manifests, which often include information on age, occupation, hair and eye color, home town, next of kin in country of origin, and name and address of party they will be meeting in the USA. Images of the ships used for passage are also available.
Local History Resources
The Issaquah Independent (1900-1916)
The Issaquah Press (1916-2017)
Issues of the Issaquah Independent (Jan. 25, 1900; Mar. 31, 1906; Dec. 28, 1907-Dec. 29, 1911) and the Issaquah Press, 1918-2017, are available online. Digitized in 2019 through a generous donation, the majority of the newspaper is free and searchable.
King County Archives
A repository of historical county government records. Includes birth, death, marriage and divorce records, property records, criminal and civil court records, Records are in many formats, including paper, photographs, maps, and audio-visual materials.
The Puget Sound Regional Archives
Located on the Bellevue Community College Campus, the archives are the best place to find a history of your home or property. You’ll need to know the tax parcel ID number before you go, and it’s best to set up a research appointment with them ahead of time. Other documents available at the PSRA include local government records from county offices such as the Auditor, the Clerk, the Treasurer, the Board of Commissioners, and from municipalities, school districts, and other service districts.
Federal Archives at Sand Point
The collections at Sand Point Federal Archives span 1850 to the 1990s and feature maps, architectural drawings, photographs, records, and other documents created or received by the Federal government. They also provide microfilm access to federal census records from all states and territories between 1790 and 1930, in addition to other records of genealogical interest. See their web site for more information on planning a visit.
UW Special Collections
The University of Washington Special Collections include city directories, phone books, newspapers, atlases, manuscripts and personal papers.
Copies of some birth and death records can be obtained through this office, or ordered online.
Washington State Department of Health
Copies of some birth, death, marriage and divorce records can be obtained through this office, or ordered online.