Benton County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Benton County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for a U.S. Senator from Missouri (1821–51) and later U.S. Representative (1853–55) Thomas Hart Benton. The County is located in the southcentral area of the state.

Western Benton county is dominated by Prosser, with very close ties to other Yakima Valley communities. The Yakima River cuts a Valley through the regions rolling hills, and much of the population of Yakima County lives along the river in this valley, which creates a continuous connected group of towns and communities from Pomona in the north, through Yakima City, and into Benton County to Prosser, and Benton City.

Eastern Benton County is dominated by the Tri-City Metropolitan Area, the fourth largest metro area in Washington State. The three cities that the metro area is named for are Kennewick and Richland in Benton County and Pasco in Franklin County. It also includes the towns of West Richland and Finley (Benton County) and Burbank (Walla Walla County). The area has been a gathering place from prehistoric times because of the intersection of three major rivers. The Snake and the Yakima Rivers empty into the Columbia River in this location, hence it is also called the Three Rivers Region. The county boundaries follow the rivers, Benton county south and west of the Columbia, and Franklin and Walla Walla north and east of the Columbia, with the Snake River between them. From the first settlers in this area, there have been ferries and then bridges that connected these communities. Any resident in or near the confluence of the rivers may have records in Benton, Franklin or Walla Walla county.

The southern boundary of Benton is also the Columbia River, with Umatilla County, Oregon on the other side. The small cluster of communities along the Columbia in the south rely on services in Hermiston, Oregon.

As part of the Manhattan Project (see details below) all of northern Benton County was evacuated in 1943. There are *no* town or local records for the towns of Hanford, White Bluffs, or [Old] Richland (1905-1943). There are also no records for the 2 dozen small rural communities scattered throughout northern Benton county. There are federal census, and some school census for these areas, and a very few number of phone directories. There are several books of the personal memories of those evacuated, available in FS Library (see local histories below).

[New] Richland was incorporated in 1958. They have *no* records prior to that date.

County Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse 7122 W Okanogan Place Ste A110 Kennewick, WA 99336 Phone: 509-735-8476 Benton County Courthouse

County Auditor has birth records 1905-1907, and marriage records from 1905. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. County Assessor has land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Elizabeth Gibson. Benton County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 5671.
 * 1803 The first inhabitants were the, Umatillas, Klickitats, and Wallulas.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1858 A gold rush to British Columbia brought the first influx of white people, as rushers traveled through on their way north.
 * 1880 Steamboats and railroads connected what would become known as Kennewick to the other settlements along the Columbia River.
 * 1880 and earlier - Benton County has very little rainfall, and some farmers had been successful at dryland farming.
 * 1890 Irrigation came to the county and brought many changes.
 * 1905 March 6, Washington State Legislature creates Benton County (out of Klickitat).
 * 1942 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Manhattan District, surveyed the northern part of the county for a secret government project.
 * 1943 The government ordered everyone living in the town sites of Hanford, White Bluffs, and [Old] Richland, as well as all the rural communities in northern Benton County, to evacuate. Shortly thereafter, a huge government construction project began, known only as the . Thousands of people moved to the Eastern Washington desert. No one knew what they were building, just that it would help the war effort. Only when they heard the news of the devastation caused by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 1945, did the workers know what they had built. "Our bomb clinched it!" read the Richland Villager.

Cemeteries

 * Many of the graves in the White Bluff Cemetery were moved to Prosser Cemetery (a few moved to Richland or Kennewick). The graves were moved on very short notice by the family members then present. All remaining graves have no record whatever, and are completely unreachable.

Census Records

 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch
 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)
 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indians
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * World War II Files, 1942-1946. Public Welfare/Social Security Department, (Japanese Internment) Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 from the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps, 1878-present (prior records having been destroyed in a fire).
 * Online Document Searching Deeds, mortgages, etc. from 1985

Local Histories

 * Benton County place names includes dozens of obscure historical communities with origins, dates, and how they disappeared.
 * Benton County, Washington - a glimpse of the past
 * History of the Yakima Valley, Washington : comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton counties
 * Kennewick, Washington
 * Kin-i-wak, Kenewick, Tehe, Kennewick
 * Great memories : early Hanford and the Tri-Cities
 * "The long road to self-government" : the history of Richland Washington, 1943-1968 : compiled from clippings, data, booklets, etc. in honor of the 25th anniversary of Richland
 * Tales of Richland, White Bluffs, and Hanford, 1805-1943, before the atomic reserve
 * Goodbye, White Bluffs
 * Tri Cities : the Mid Columbia hub, an illustrated history
 * Colors of change in Plymouth
 * Finley-Hover history & River View High School

History Resources
 * "TCGS Digital Collections" online at Tri-Cities Genealogical Society

Maps and Gazetteers

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

World War I

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

 * World War II enlistments of Benton County, Washington residents. This is a partial list. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1905-1954 Naturalization Records, 1905-1954 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free index, no images)
 * Includes Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization and Certificate Stubs.


 * 1803-2010 — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Declarations of intention 1901-1954; Petitions 1907-1954; Naturalization Records 1907-1929.

Newspapers

 * Benton County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Other Records
Public Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only: Includes petitions for roads, courthouse removal, other civl matters and also includes single mothers trying to qualify for welfare support.

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only. Includes: collection of various records including vital, probate, school, tax, naturalization and other records.

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records


 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only. Includes collection of various records including vital, probate, school, tax, naturalization and other records.

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

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only. Includes collection of various records including vital, probate, school, tax, naturalization and other records.

Birth

 * 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1905-1907 For FS Library entries, 1905-1907, click.
 * 1905-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only.
 * 1905-1907 Birth Returns, 1905-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1905-1920 Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Benton County Marriages from 1905 to 1920. This database is an index to marriage certificates filed with the Auditor in Benton County, Washington. For FS Library entries, click.
 * 1905-1980 Marriage Records, 1905-1980 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1906-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only.
 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Includes Marriage license applications 1939-1980, certificates 1905-2008, license index 1906-1926; Marriage affidavits 1905-1922.
 * 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Basin City Washington Family History Center
 * Columbia Basin Washington Family History Center
 * Dayton Washington Family History Center
 * Kennewick Washington Family History Center
 * Othello Washington Family History Center
 * Pasco Washington Family History Center
 * Prosser Washington Family History Center
 * Richland Washington Family History Center
 * Sunnyside Washington Family History Center
 * Wahluke Washington Family History Center
 * Walla Walla Washington Family History Center
 * West Richland Washington Family History Center

Libraries
Resources for Benton County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.


 * Mid-Columbia Public Libraries -
 * Branches and Locations Website
 * Genealogy Research Tools Website


 * Special or unique Collections: collections of genealogical value are available from 1800s to the present. (Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others)

Museums

 * East Benton County Historical Museum is located at 205 Keewaydin Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336-0602 (509) 582-7704 / ebchs @ frontier.comWebsite
 * The REACH is the new museum that has replaced CREHST. The museum is located in Columbia Park West. The photo collections are no longer available.Website

Societies

 * East Benton County Historical Society primarily runs a museum of local history and a research library. The museum features local history, from the ancient petrified forests to the Native Americans to the pioneers and settlers. Of special note is an extensive photograph collection depicting life in Kennewick, Richland, Finley, Hover, Hanford, White Bluffs and surrounding areas. "The museum library houses an extensive collection of materials including obituaries, local history files, family history information, high school annuals and books of local and regional interest. There are also 121 books from Dr. Glen Axford's Audubon Collection."
 * The Tri-City Genealogical Society has an extensive collection of local and regional resources as well as references for other areas. Check their resources page for an updated list of their holdings. They also provide genealogical help at the Mid-Columbia Library, have online resources, and conduct local research for a small fee.Website
 * East Benton County Historical Society & Museum 205 WEST KEEWAYDIN DRIVE KENNEWICK, WA, 99336 (509) 582-7704 Website Facebook
 * Tri-City Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1410 1314 Jadwin Ave Richland, WA 99352-1410 [http://tricitygenealogicalsociety.org/q/ Web

Websites

 * Benton County Washington Genealogy Research. Free Contains information for researching genealogy in Benton County WA, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * The Benton County WAGenWeb Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb - Benton WA
 * Tri-City Genealogical Society
 * – 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.