West Side Has Two Fine Libraries

Last week’s column told about what’s new at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at the Genealogy Section in the downtown Spokane Public Library.

Today I’ll tell you about two other wonderful Washington genealogical libraries.

The Heritage Quest Research Library and Resource Center is in Orting, Wash., just a bit southeast of Tacoma. Because this is a self-supporting, private library, there’s a daily fee of $4 to use the collection. A yearly membership fee is available for $30.

In this resource center (one could hardly call it just a library!) are more than 12,000 rolls of microfilm, hundreds of periodicals and more than 5,000 books - including 600 family histories - that are readily available for use. There is material for beginning, intermediate and advanced genealogists.

It contains the most popular reference books, including complete sets of some of the more popular references (PERSI, Germans to America, Encyclopedia of American Quakers …). A complete set of the Revolutionary War general index films is there, along with 36 of the 42 rolls of film comprising the Service Records of Soldiers in the Indian Wars.

The Washington State section includes the state’s Death Index, 1907-1979, and the Pierce County Marriage Index, 1891-1920. The census film collection numbers 10,000, and passenger and immigration lists, 1,500 rolls.

This library has Scandinavian, French, French Canadian, Irish, Italian and English materials.

Have I piqued your interest?

The Heritage Quest Resource Center and Library is open seven days a week (except major holidays) from 1 to 5 p.m. Ginger Weeks is the director, assisted by Mae Thompson and a staff of 30 volunteers.

Its easy to reach. In fact, if you drop them a note (or call), they’ll send you a detailed map of the area showing exactly which roads to take from I-90 and I-5.

The address is P.O. Box 1119, Orting, WA 98360-1119; the telephone is (206) 863-7372.

Th library and resource center is now owned by American Genealogical Lending Library of Bountiful, Utah. Because of the partnership, AGLL films can be ordered ahead of time, ready when you arrive.

Another benefit of visiting this library is that many of the genealogical materials listed in the Heritage Quest/Historic Resources catalog are available for purchase, and are usually right on site.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 12. The Saturday following the EWGS annual fall workshop, Heritage Quest, AGLL and Heritage Quest Research Library and Resource Center will hold an all-day Genealogy Rendezvous (rather like the Jamboree held in Southern California) in Orting.

Desmond Walls Allen will be the primary speaker. Both the rendezvous and the library will be worth the time, effort and drive over the mountains.

Another major genealogical library is the Fiske Genealogical Foundation Library in Seattle.

Seattle resident Arthur Fiske began researching nearly 55 years ago, and, as all enthusiasts do, started collecting books on his areas of interest. As his library grew, so did the need to house the collection, and the Fiske Center was opened in 1971.

Fiske began holding genealogy classes in 1969. By 1992, the books and bookcases had overgrown the Queen Anne location, and in July the library was moved to the Washington Pioneer Association building in Madison Park.

This library has two major goals: To provide an on-going education in genealogical research techniques and to build a library of genealogical materials not readily available locally.

The library wants to acquire at least one book of genealogical value for each county east of the Mississippi River. So far, it has reached this goal for each New England state as well as New York and Pennsylvania. Original manuscripts and records are the backbone of this collection which now numbers nearly 10,000 items.

One of the library’s unique features is the 450-drawer card file, holding more than 1.5 million 3x5 cards with about 4.5 million names and dates! These index cards contain information on bibliographies, references to articles, books and other materials of interest to the researcher of a particular state, county, city or township.

The Place Names File lists town and township name changes, plantation names, general geographic areas, names of patents, bounty land locations and extent location. The English Origins of New England Immigrants file cards lists places of origin of 1,500 New England immigrants.

There is also a Pennsylvania card file, one for Southern families and another for Washington state pioneer families.

The Fiske Foundation Library is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. A daily fee of $5 is charged. Fiske conducts classes Wednesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon, and evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 for an annual this cost of $75. Foundation members can check out books.

The library is located at 1644 - 43th Ave., E., Seattle, WA 98122-3222; telephone is (206) 328-2716.

While we’re on the topic of Western Washington genealogical collections, I must mention that the genealogy collection of the downtown Seattle Public Library is a dandy place to spend a day or two.

The collection contains nearly 20,000 bound volumes on open stacks consisting of county and family histories, published vital records and a nearly complete collection of indexes for the federal censuses.

Library hours are 9 to 9m Monday through Thursday, 9 to 6 on Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 on Sundays (September through May).

The library is located right downtown, taking up the entire block between Fourth and Fifth on Spring and Madison streets. Call (206) 386-4629 for schedule and information.

We’re out of room and we haven’t mentioned the Seattle Genealogical Society library! It’s located at 8511 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle (mailing address P.O. Box 75388, Seattle, WA 98125-0388); (206) 522-8658.

One could easily spend a terrific research day or two in this collection, too!

Today’s laugh

Ole, he says to his buddy, Sven, “Did you hear about the Norwegian who got a snowmobile for his wife?” Sven answers, “How come did he work that kind of a good deal?” (Think about it!!)

, DataTimes MEMO: Donna Potter Phillips welcomes letters from readers. Write to her at The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. For a response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review