Hood River County, Oregon Genealogy

Guide to Hood River County, Oregon ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Hood County was named for the Hood River, a tributary of the Columbia River. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Hood River County Courthouse 309 State Street Hood River, Or 97031-2037 Phone: 541-386-3535 Hood River County Website
 * County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, and court records from 1908 and land records from 1895.
 * County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.

Populated Places
The following are locations in the county:

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator

Cemeteries

 * Hood River County Cemeteries, Columbia Gorge Genealogy Society
 * Soldiers of 1861-1865 buried in Idlewilde Cemetery, Hood River, Oregon, by Jean Williams Koops and Patricia F. Combs

Census Records

 * 1928 Japanese Population in Oregon - October 1, 1928: State Library of Oregon, Digital Collections
 * Hood River School Census 1933, Hood River County School District, transcribed by Jeffrey W. Bryant
 * Hood River School Census 1940, Hood River County School District, transcribed by Jeffrey W. Bryant

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

Court Records
County Records Inventory listing the records held at the Hood River County Court House as of July 2009. Hood River County Court is structured differently. Check the County Records Inventory link for addresses for location of records (left column).

Directories

 * Telephone Directory - 1973 - Hood River - Odell - Dee - Parkdale, Oregon
 * 1905 Hood River Telephone Directory
 * Directory, Oregon-Washington Telephone Company, Hood River, Oregon January 1st, 1919, Reprinted by Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 Japanese-American
 * Japanese-Americans of the Mid-Columbia Area and Their Relatives, Roy Higashi
 * National Archives: Japanese American Internment Files

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Land Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

Local Histories

 * Dragonville Sketches - Hood River High School, A Picture History, by John Lamphiear
 * History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon, compiled by Mrs. Della M. Coon
 * History of Hood River County, Oregon 1852 - 1982, Hood River County Historical Society
 * History of Hood River County, Oregon 1852 - 1987, Hood River County Historical Society
 * History of Oregon, Carey, Charles Henry, Chicago: Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1922.
 * History of the Columbia River Valley, from The Dalles to the Sea, by Fred Lockley
 * History of Wasco County, Oregon, McNeal, William H., The Dalles, Ore.: unknown, 1954?
 * An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake and Klamath Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, Washington, 1905
 * Portland, Oregon, its history and builders, Chicago:Gaston, Joseph, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1911.
 * Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, Chicago: Chapman Pub. Co., 1903.
 * Hood River Area History from selected newspaper articles, transcribed by Jeffrey L. Elmer

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Hood River County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Columbia River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * Barlow Road 1846 from The Dalles to Oregon City

Military Records

 * National Archives: Combat Area Casualties Current File, 6/8/1956 - 1/21/1998
 * Honor Roll of Oregon Grand Army of the Republic, 1881-1935, Compiled by Jane Myers, Cottage Grove Genealogical Society

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War I
 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * WWI Civilian Draft Registrations - Ancestry.com ($)
 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, FS Library US/CAN Film 1852057

 World War II
 * World War II Enlistment Records from NARA, Residence County: Hood River, Oregon

 Korean War
 * National Archives: Korean Conflict Casualty File, 1/1/1950 - 2/7/1957

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers
Historic Oregon Newspapers as a division of the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program.
 * University of Oregon Libraries Hood River Glacier, original copies at the Hood River Public Library
 * Hood River Sun, original copies at the Hood River Public Library
 * University of Oregon Libraries Hood River News, original copies at the Hood River Public Library

Obituaries

 * Hood River News Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1833-1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * Hood River Mascot yearbooks, located at the Hood River Public Library
 * Wy East High School

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

Vital Records

 * 1889-1903 Vitals from the Hood River Glacier, 1889-1903, tanscribed by Jeffrey L. Elmer
 * 1903-1998 Oregon Vital Records: Deaths 1903-1998, Ancestry.com ($)
 * Western States Marriage Record Index

Birth

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1849-1884;1991-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

Death

 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1864-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Deaths, 1864-1968 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Archives

 * Oregon State Archives, Genealogical Information Locator

FamilySearch Centers

 * The Dalles Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Hood River Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library
 * Oregon Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Hood River County Library 502 E State St Hood River OR 97031 541-386-2535 Website Facebook

Museums
History Museum of Hood River County 300 E Port Marina Drive Hood River, OR 97031 Phone: 541-386-6772 Website Facebook

Societies
Hood River County Historical Society & Museum 300 E Port Marina Drive Hood River, Oregon 97031 Telephone: 541-386-6772 Website

Websites

 * Hood River County GenWeb part of OR GenWeb
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project


 * – 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.