Whatton Resource Room for Historical and Genealogical Research

The Whatton Resource Room houses a variety of primary and secondary source materials relating to the history of Sequim-Dungeness Valley and its people (see list below). Volunteer staff is on hand to assist with research requests.

Our resources are open to individual researchers as well as those affiliated with educational institutions. You do not need to be a MAC member to use the library.

Research requests may also be sent via mail or e-mail by filling out a Research Request Form (MS Word document). Send e-mails to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  with a contact name, phone number and address. Mailed requests should be addressed to the following:

Research Request Forms are also available at the MAC Exhibit Center, 175 W. Cedar St.

After a volunteer research assistant has completed your request, they will contact you by phone or e-mail to recap the search results. Please note that one hour of research is provided free and for additional hours, the suggested donation is $10 per hour.

Research Materials

Please note that some of the primary source items listed below are located in the MAC Archive Room, which is not accessible to the public.

All library resources (books, maps, etc.) must be used on-site and are not available for checkout.

Genealogy

• Obituaries (1892 - present)
• Oral histories (interviews - audio, video, written)
• Local genealogy books (published & unpublished compilations)
• Family files (contain published & unpublished source materials)
• Genealogical records/charts of local native and pioneer families
• Cemetery records (Dungeness Pioneer Cemetery & Sequim View Cemetery)

Local History / Interest

• The Harriet Fish Special Collection (local historian)
• Local history books (cities & towns, landmarks, etc.)
• Local video productions (on VHS & DVD)
• Sequim-area newspapers (1911 - present)
• Area telephone books (1930s - present)
• Area city/business directories (1913 - present)
• Sequim High School yearbooks & student newspapers
• Sequim Schools information
• Irrigation Festival information
• Lavender Festival information
• Subject files on various local topics
• Map Collection of more than 200 maps (Sequim-Dungeness Valley area, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, etc.)

Local Businesses & Organizations

• Old business records
• Farm ledgers and dairy herd records
• Farming equipment catalogues (tool diagrams/descriptions, etc.)
• Scrapbooks: PTA, Ladies of the Dungeness, Dungeness Community Club, Olympic Peninsula Dairy Women, Museum & Arts Center, etc.

Miscellaneous Books

• Art history books with illustrations
• Subject-specific books, such as lace and textiles, and antique tools (used as reference books for the MAC artifact collections)