Books & Beyond
Historical and Genealogical Resources


Library Resources and Services
Local and State Online Resources
General Genealogy Research Websites
Local Organizations
Library Books: Local History and Genealogy Research





 

Library Resources and Services

A research database with Census records, books, PERSI, Revolutionary War records, and Freedman’s Bank of African Americans. (Log on using your Deschutes Public Library card)

 
America’s News
http://www.deschuteslibrary.org/onlineresources/newsbank.aspx 
A database featuring full text newspapers for local (Bend Bulletin) and national locations. (Log on using your Deschutes Public Library card)

 
A list of Deschutes County newspapers with date ranges and access locations.
 

Obituary retrieval service by Deschutes Public Library
Submit your request for a local obituary copy by completing this form: www.deschuteslibrary.org/forms/obits.aspx. Alternatively, you can call us with your obituary request at 541-617-7080.

 
Oregon Vital Statistics, Downtown Bend Library, 2nd floor
  • Death Index, 1915-1970 (microfilm)
  • Death Index, 1961-2008 (microfiche)
  • Marriage Index (Bride & Groom), 1906-1970 (microfilm)
  • Marriage Index (Bride), 1961-2008 (microfiche)
  • Marriage Index (Groom), 1961-2008 (microfiche)
  • Divorce, 1971-2008 (microfiche)
 
Oregon Census Rolls, 1850-1930, Downtown Bend Library, 2nd floor (microfilm)
 


 

Local and State Online Resources
 
Architecture and Historic Sites
 
City of Bend’s Historic Preservation
http://www.bendoregon.gov/index.aspx?page=614

These 3 sections are most useful:
  • A Map of Bend's Historic Resources
  • List of Local Resources Designated by the City Council
  • The National Register of Historic Places Nominations in Bend
 
Deschutes County Property Search Tool, D.I.A.L.                     
http://www.deschutes.org/Assessors-Office/DIAL-Search-Form.aspx
The DIAL Search Form allows you to search and locate property history from the County Assessor’s office. This page also provides a link to LAVA5, a GIS map of current property plats in Deschutes County. 
 
Cemeteries
 
Tombstone Transcription: Deschutes County, Oregon
http://www.usgwtombstones.org/oregon/deschutes.htm
 
 
Vital Records
 
Online Oregon Death Records & Indexes
http://www.deathindexes.com/oregon/index.html
A privately created and maintained site that attempts to list essential onlineresources for each state in one location.
 
Oregon State Archives Vital Records
http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/vital.html
A list of vital records in the Oregon State Archives including information for city, county, state and other Pacific Northwest locations. Vital records include birth, death, marriage, and divorce documents but availability is determined by Oregon Health Division's Administrative Rule 333-011.

Other Resources
 
Oregon Historic Newspapers
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Read full text articles from a selective list of Oregon newspapers published from mid 1800’s to early 1900’s. Digital copies include photos, full text searching and a printable pdf format. Created and maintained by University of Oregon in conjunction with the Library of Congress project Chronicling America http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ digital newspaper project.
 
Oregon Historical Sites Database
http://heritagedata.prd.state.or.us/historic/index.cfm?do=v.dsp_main
A statewide database of historical sites and buildings, including National Register sites. Search by city or county and limit search by using such criteria as architectural style, builder, year, common property name, etc.

 

 

General Genealogy Research Websites
Need a little more direction? Here are some general genealogy websites with research tips and specialty search engines that will help you explore family histories around the word. NOTE: Some sites may charge for their services. 
 
Ancestry.com
http://www.ancestry.com
Ancestry.com includes a link for genealogy lessons which provides tips to help sharpen your research skills.

Use their Learning Center http://learn.ancestry.com/Home/HMLND.aspx to explore the basic skills necessary to do genealogy research. Much of their content if only available for a fee but access it for free at the Bend LDS Family Research Center.

 
Cyndi's list of Genealogy sites on the Internet
http://www.cyndislist.com
One of the most comprehensive lists of genealogy websites that includes thousands of links arranged alphabetically by category. 

 
GenForum
http://genforum.genealogy.com
Great site for chat rooms, message boards, regional queries and surnames searches.

 
GENUKI: UK & Ireland Genealogy
http://www.genuki.org.uk
Use this site if you have family ties to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Explore their “Getting Started on Genealogy” page http://www.genuki.org.uk/gs/ for beginners.
 
LDS Family History Library
http://www.familysearch.org
This site searches through the millions of patron submitted family group, pedigree and ancestral information available through the Family History Library.  Also includes a link to their microfilm and book holdings.

 
RootsWeb
Affiliated with Ancestry.com   This site is the oldest and largest free genealogy site on the web and includes more than 760,000 surname entries.  Find genealogy search engines and databases, message boards, family trees, research templates, guides for beginning your research and much more.
 
US GenWeb Project
http://usgenweb.org
The USGenWeb project consists of a large group of volunteers working together to provide Internet websites for genealogical research in every county and every state in the United States.  It is a non-commercial project and access is free to everyone.
 
Social Security Death Index
http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com
This index is an essential tool for anyone doing genealogy research.
 

 

Local Organizations
 
Bend Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orbchdar/index.html
Alice Miles, Regent
twomiles43@msn.com
 
Bend Genealogical Society, Inc.
 www.orgenweb.org/deschutes/bend-gs/
PO Box 8254
Bend, OR  97708-8254
(541) 317-9553
Email: bgs@bendbroadband.com
 
Bowman Museum and Historical Society of Crook County
www.bowmanmuseum.org/
246 N. Main Street
Prineville, OR 97754
(541) 447-3715

 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Family Research Centers
Open to the public.
 
Bend
1260 NE Thompson Dr
Bend, Deschutes, Oregon, United States
Phone: 541-382-9947
Hours: T-Th 9am-4pm; F 9am-noon by appointment only

Prineville
333 SE Idlewood
Prineville, Crook, Oregon, United States
Phone: 541-447-1488
Hours: Tu. 10am-7pm, Wed. 1pm-7pm, Thur. 10am-2pm, call for evening appointments.
Closed: Closed Major Holidays, July and August

Redmond
450 S Rimrock Dr
Redmond, Deschutes, Oregon, United States
Phone: 541-548-2436
Hours: by appointment
Closed: Closed during Thanksgiving week and the last two weeks of December.
 
Deschutes County Historical Society
www.deschuteshistory.org/
129 NW Idaho Ave
Bend, OR  97701
(541) 389-1813
 
Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc.
2505 S.E. 11th Ave., Suite B-18
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 963-1932
The Forum is an all volunteer non-profit organization founded in 1946.  It maintains the largest genealogical collection between San Francisco and Seattle. 
 
La Pine Genealogical Society
PO Box 1081
La Pine, OR 97739
Dave Tucker (541)536-1678, k7dlt@hotmail.com
 
 
Greater Redmond Historical Society
529 SW 7th Street
Redmond, OR 97756
(541)316-1777

 

 

Library Books
 
Local History Books
 
Bend: 100 Years of History
979.587 BEND (Bend Reference & Nonfiction)
 
Bend, in Central Oregon 
979.587 HATTON (Bend Reference & Nonfiction)
 
Bend, Oregon Polk City Directory, 1921-2001, incomplete series
917.95 POLK (Bend Reference)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1049690
 
Deschutes County Historical Sites
979.5 DESCHUTES (Bend Reference)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1107895
 
A History of the Deschutes Country in Oregon
979.587 DESCHUTES (Bend Reference & Nonfiction)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1038154
 
Old Town Historic District: National Register Nomination for the Old Town Historic District
979.5 OLD (Bend Reference)
 
A pictorial history of the Bend country 
979.587 WILLIAMS ELSIE   (Bend Reference & Nonfiction)
 
 
Genealogy Research Books for the Beginner
 
The Bare-Bones Guide to Genealogy
McGlone, Mary T.
929.1072 MCGLONE  (Nonfiction)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1141312

The Everything Family Tree Book
Powell, Kimberly
 
Genealogy 101 : how to trace your family's history and heritage
Renick, Barbara
929.1 RENICK
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1145507
 
Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy
Croom, Emily A.
 
 
Genealogy Research Books – Special Topics
 
In Search of Your British & Irish Roots: A Complete Guide
Baxter, Angus
929.1 BAXTER (Nonfiction)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1100507

In Search of Your European Roots
Baxter, Angus
929.1 BAXTER (Nonfiction)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1118930

In Search of Your German Roots
Baxter, Angus
 
Irish and Scotch-Irish Ancestral Research (2 volumes)
Falley, Margaret
929.3 FALLEY(Bend Reference)
 
Native American Genealogical Sourcebook
Byers, Paula K.
929.1 NATIVE (Bend Reference)
http://catalog.dpls.lib.or.us/record=b1054618




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Last modified on Thursday, November 29, 2012