Welcome to the Linn Genealogical Society

The Linn Genealogical Society is based in Albany, Linn County, Oregon. Our Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to “studying, sharing, collecting, and preserving genealogical and historical information” concerning Linn County’s culture and heritage. For over 50 years, the Society has encouraged interest in family and regional history through its many projects.

The research room of the Linn Genealogical Society is designated as an affiliate library of the FamilySearch system of libraries. You can find out more about affiliate libraries at this link.

Located within Albany Regional Museum

The Research Library for the Linn Genealogical Society is located in the Rod & Marty Tripp Reference Room at the Albany Regional Museum. The Tripp Reference Room is open whenever the Museum is open; usually 10am to 4pm, Tuesday-Saturday. The Museum is located at 136 Lyon Street SW in the Historic Downtown District of Albany Oregon. There is no charge to visit the Tripp Reference Room and parking is free. Visit the museum exhibits for a small fee after your visit to the Reference Room.

inside the library are two computer screens at a shared desk in the middle of a room lined with books and documents

The Tripp Reference Room is the place to do your family research. What is in our collection:

  • Genealogical reference books, indexes, derivative records, yearbooks, city directories, & family manuscripts
  • Some local history books
  • 100,000 scanned research notes/clippings
  • 2,230 non-circulating bound books
  • 2,100 e-books
  • Computers for public use with free access to:
    • Ancestry.com
    • Newspapers.com
    • Fold3
    • FamilySearch.org
  • Scanner/copier/printer (book scanner & slide/negative scanner available by appointment)
  • Volunteers are available to help you with your research

Events

LGS Program – Researching in Railroad Records

Sat. Jul. 11, 2026
1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Community Room – First Christian Church

The November 7th meeting continues to be held in the Community Room of the First Christian Church due to the closing to the Albany Regional Museum for the months of November, and December.  The entrance to the Community Room is from the back parking area.

Meeting time is 1 – 3pm in person or on Zoom.  The speaker will present her talk first then a short break before the business meeting.

All members are encouraged to attend.

Researching in Railroad Records

Dawn Carlile is a native Oregonian who grew up in Eugene and Springfield. She has been involved in genealogy research for more than 25 years, starting when her dad asked if she had thought about researching their family history. His mother was orphaned at the age of 12 and he knew very little about her family. Once Dawn started looking into the family she was hooked. She is now a professional genealogist, educator, and lecturer who began teaching classes in 2008 and lecturing at local libraries, societies, and cultural events. She enjoys teaching others about researching their families as much as she does the research so after many years of helping others with their research, she started Genealogy Roots and Branches in 2021. She has taken twelve courses from the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records. Dawn is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists Genealogical Speakers Guild, National Genealogical Society, president of the Oregon Genealogical Society, and a member of several other genealogical and historical societies. Dawn is a graduate of Bushnell University with a B.A. in management.