Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society

April tour event - Fort Dalles Museum and the historic Anderson Homestead

Take a tour of the unique collection of pioneer and military artifacts and antique wagons at one of the old west’s most pivotal places in history.

Happy Spring! CGGS publications are available on our blog page. Newsletter, historical record books, and our free genealogy toolkit!

The most recent newsletter is always available on our blog page and it is also available at both

The Dalles-Wasco County Library and the William G. Dick Research Library at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

Quarterly Newsletter

CGGS Historical Publications

Genealogy Toolkit

Whether you are a seasoned genealogy researcher or just a beginner there is

something for you at our blog page.

We are a small society with seasoned researchers that can assist you in your genealogy and family history journey. Reach out and ask questions or if you have questions about the areas history, we can answer those queries too.

Want to join our society?

Download the membership form on this page and mail it to

CGGS, 835 Chenoweth Loop W., The Dalles, Or.. 97058

Our meetings are mainly virtual on-line presentations with several in-person events nine months throughout the year.

Questions?

email: gorgegenealogical@gmail.com

How to Develop Critical Online Newspaper Research Skills - Kenneth R. Marks from Ancestor Hunt - March 14, 2026

Join us on March 14, 2026 with Kenneth R. Marks

Founder of Ancestor Hunt

This webinar is intended to build newspaper research skills for genealogy and history researchers. Online newspaper research can be a frustrating endeavor for several reasons. The goal is for the audience to understand why it can be difficult and to learn some skills that will drastically improve search results.

Kenneth R. Marks is the founder of Ancestor Hunt, a leading online resource for genealogy and newspaper research. We will hear about his new project, Newspaper Research Academy.

The program will also cover the many aspects of Ancestor Hunts website and its other features like quicksheets, research guides and we will hear about his new project, Newspaper Research Academy.

Mr. Marks not only is a webmaster but is a author of 7 books. Attendees to this webinar will have a chance to win one of Kenneth Marks books, "Finding Your Ancestors in Historical Newspapers: A Practical Guide to Improving Your Online Newspaper Research Results” .

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ky_1GYQsRZ-6qUU85IwFJQ

Kenneth R. Marks began his genealogy journey in 2002 after retiring as a software executive in a career that began in 1969. At the beginning of his search, he knew very little about his ancestors. Since that time, by intensive use of all kinds of genealogy resources, he learned who his ancestors were, and more importantly, how they lived. Discovering his ancestors’ life stories and meeting relatives all over the world provided the greatest satisfaction from his research.

Through his genealogy pursuits, he became an expert in newspaper research, which helped to uncover the stories of his ancestors’ lives. He developed a popular website, The Ancestor Hunt, which initially curated free online newspaper titles in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Expanding the website led to publishing over 275,000 curated links to free online resources in 24 common genealogy categories.

~Ancestor Hunt

*This presentation was rescheduled from a earlier date of March 7th because of scheduling conflicts.

The Vercouteren Regional History Forum Series 2026- February schedule

Every winter our members and friends are invited to the attend the regional history

series presented by the Original Wasco County Courthouse.

As you can see, the name has changed but not the quality presentations given by area historians.

The name is now the Vercouteren forum, fittingly renamed in memory of

Karl Vercouteren who founded and organized the forum for his love for history, art and music.

Find out more about the courthouse by visiting their webpage

http://www.originalwascocountycourthouse.org/

Winter Holiday break - A time for gathering

Every year CGGS takes a winter break in December to allow our members and friends to spend

time with their families. It's a great time to gather and talk about...FAMILY HISTORY!

We meet again in January and continue our regular monthly presentations.

Watch for program updates and schedules.

In feasts and festivals, traditions live,
A dance of remembrance, love to give.
Through every gathering, our hearts ignite,
In the tapestry of heritage, we find our light.

Pioneers of The West

Header Photo: Helen Lundeberg created this painting while employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal program that employed artists during the Great Depression. Like other WPA artists, Lundeberg depicted a hopeful view of the United States during a time of turmoil and uncertainty by showing a dreamlike image of western expansion. The group of pioneers, with their backs to the viewer, follows an ox-drawn wagon into a valley. The monumental figures appear strong and assured in their forward progress. Rising mountains melt into the sun. Lundeberg's style of mixing fantastic images with reality is evident in the background: The pink, rolling mountains blend into the orange, pink, and bluish haze of the sky; it is difficult to determine where the mountains end and the sky begins. The careful use of space and dreamlike elements in Pioneers of the West is representative of Lundeberg's postsurrealist style. This movement, derived from surrealism, purposely combined fantasy with reality and was predominantly found on the West Coast. (Helen Lundeberg, Pioneers of the West, 1934, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the General Services Administration, 1985.8.27) GSA: Information and images created or owned by the GSA unless otherwise indicated, are considered in the public domain. They may be distributed or copied as permitted by applicable law.