Welcome!  My name is Leah Allen and I am the County Coordinator for Siskiyou County.  Although I do not live in Siskiyou County (and therefore cannot do onsite research for anyone), I have ties to the region.  My great-grandmother and her family came to Siskiyou County in the early 1890s and she passed down her love for the area to subsequent generations.

I can be contacted at blueomega128@gmail.com 

If you are interested in becoming involved in the GenWeb project and/or would like to adopt a county, please contact the California State Coordinator, Martha A. Crosley Graham

A Brief County History

Siskiyou County became official on March 22, 1852.  It was formed from parts of Shasta and (now defunct) Klamath County.  The new county was named after the Siskiyou mountain range.  Yreka is the largest city and County Seat.

1874 proved to be an important year for Siskiyou County.  In February, the County lost some area to the newly formed Modoc County.  Then in May, Siskiyou County gained some land due to the dissolving of Klamath County.  Those researching ancestors in this area around this time should make a note of these boundary changes and when they occurred.

In the early 1940s the area was a part of the proposed State of Jefferson.  Yreka was the proposed capital.

The Gold Rush and later the railroad brought many to the area - some permanently, some as tourists.  Ranching and logging also brought many settlers and led to the birth and boom of many communities still in existence. 

Help Wanted!

Records and other genealogical ephemera pertinent to Siskiyou County are always welcome (nothing in copyright, please).  Also, consider adding your name(s) to the Surname Registry.  Thank you!

Siskiyou County Spotlight

Do you have a picture, old advertisment, postcard, document, etc. that you'd like to see spotlighted?  

Please consider submitting it to the County Coordinator along with a brief description of the item (such as its history and any questions you might have about it if it is a mystery item you'd like help identifying).  It must be connected to Siskiyou County in some way and you must have permission to submit the item in question.  Spotlighted items will be changed every few months and past spotlighted items will be moved to a separate page on the site.

Inscription: 

"First School at Cedar Park  1911/Not all pupils there"

Only person identified is the teacher, Georgiana Wellons (back row standing, far left).  Picture is from her collection, inscription is her handwriting.  Additional information on Cedar Park can be found here.  Please let me know if you can identify any of the other people present in the picture.

Original image property of, and privately held by Leah Allen, [address for private use], California; 2011.  Not to be used or reproduced without the consent of the owner.

Adjacent Counties

Del Norte County, CA | Humboldt County, CA | Trinity County, CA | Shasta County, CA 

Modoc County, CA | Klamath County, OR | Jackson County, OR | Josephine County, OR