Hood River County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
Hood River 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
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, and court records from 1908 and land records from 1895.

Historical Facts
Named for, a tributary of Columbia River.

Parent County
23 June 1908: Created from Wasco County.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
The following are locations in the county:

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

Neighboring Counties
Clackamas | Multnomah | Wasco | Washington counties: Klickitat | Skamania

Archives and Libraries

 * Oregon State Archives, Genealogical Information Locator

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy 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

 * Japanese Population in Oregon - October 1, 1928: https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl:80728
 * 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 History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Rural Area Only
 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.

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 Groups

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

Gazetteers

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

History

 * 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

Land and Property

 * Land Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

Maps

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from 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

 * 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 — index

World War I

 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * WWI Civilian Draft Registrations - Ancestry.com
 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, FHL 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

Newspapers

 * Hood River Glacier, original copies at the Hood River Public Libraryand at:
 * Hood River Sun, original copies at the Hood River Public Library
 * Hood River News, original copies at the Hood River Public Libraryand at:

Historic Oregon Newspapers as a division of the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program has digitized more than 644,000 pages of newspapers throughout Oregon. Dates range from 1846-1922 with selected issues continuing through 1973.

Of particular interest to Hood River County researchers:

The Hood River Glacier at: The Hood River News at:

Obituaries

 * Hood River News Obituaries

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

Schools

 * Hood River Mascot yearbooks, located at the Hood River Public Library
 * Wy East High School

Vital Records

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

See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Birth Records

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (*); Also at: Ancestry
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Delayed Birth Certificates

Marriage Records

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1842-1917 Oregon, U.S., State Births, 1842-1917 at Ancestry - index and images ($); Also at: 
 * 1849-1884; 1991-2006 at FamilySearch — index and images; collection is incomplete.
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Extractions of early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

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

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

Family History Centers

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

Websites

 * Hood River County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Hood River County GenWeb Project part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * Hood River Genealogical Information - Families and Individuals from Public Records
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project