Wasilla Genealogy Records
Searching genealogy records in Wasilla, Alaska turns up a rich set of sources covering the city's roots as a 1917 Alaska Railroad construction camp through its growth into the largest city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Vital records from the 1920s through the 1950s are digitized at FamilySearch. Probate case files, marriage records, land records, and naturalization records all survive and are accessible through state and federal archives. Local societies in Wasilla can also help you connect the dots on family connections in the Mat-Su Valley.
Wasilla Overview
FamilySearch Collections for Wasilla
The FamilySearch Matanuska-Susitna Borough genealogy guide covers Wasilla records in detail. Wasilla was founded on June 20, 1917, when the Alaska Railroad auctioned town lots. That gives researchers a clear starting point. Records from the very first years of the settlement survive in several collections. FamilySearch has digitized a large share of these and made them free to search online.
Key Wasilla collections available at FamilySearch include:
- Wasilla Probate Records (1923-1961) at the Alaska State Archives
- Wasilla Probate Case Files (1944-1960)
- Wasilla Marriage Records (1924-1959)
- Wasilla Births, Marriages, and Deaths (1923-1950)
- Palmer-Wasilla-Talkeetna Town Lots Index (1905-1970)
These collections are part of the larger FamilySearch partnership with the Alaska State Archives, which produced 1.1 million scanned documents covering statewide records from 1816 to 1998. For Wasilla research, having the precinct-level probate and vital records digitized is a major benefit. You can search from home rather than writing to Juneau for every document.
Wasilla-Knik Historical Society
The Wasilla-Knik Historical Society is based at 300 N Boundary Street, Wasilla, AK 99654. Phone: 907-376-7755. Email: knikmuseum@gmail.com. Research assistance is available by appointment. The society's archives hold photographs, documents, and artifacts from both the Wasilla and Knik areas. Knik was the predecessor settlement before Wasilla was established in 1917, so records from both communities often overlap.
The City of Wasilla maintains local government records and community information. See cityofwasilla.com for current city services and contact details.
The society's collections focus on Alaska Railroad history and agricultural development in the Mat-Su Valley. Wasilla has been the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race since 1973, and the society holds Iditarod-related historical materials as well. If your family was involved in early farming, railroad work, or dog mushing in the valley, this is a strong local resource.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters is based in Wasilla. See iditarod.com for information about Wasilla's role in this Alaska tradition.
Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, Divorces
Certified copies of Wasilla vital records must be ordered through the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics. Orders can be placed in person at the Anchorage office at 3601 C Street, Suite 128, or online through VitalChek at health.alaska.gov. All vital records in Alaska are handled centrally at the state level; no local Wasilla office issues certified copies.
Access rules follow state law. Alaska Statute 18.50.290 closes birth records for 100 years from the date of birth. Alaska Statute 18.50.300 restricts death, marriage, and divorce records for 50 years from the event date. Records from before 1926 (births) and before 1976 (deaths, marriages, divorces) are now fully open to the public. Many of these older Wasilla records are already digitized and free at FamilySearch. A first certified copy costs $30, with additional copies at $25 each.
Probate and Court Records
Wasilla probate records date to 1923. The FamilySearch collections include Wasilla Probate Records (1923-1961) and Wasilla Probate Case Files (1944-1960). These files name heirs, creditors, and family members. Even when vital records are thin, probate files often confirm family relationships and provide key dates. For estate cases filed after 1960, the Alaska State Archives statewide Probate Index covers 1883 to 1960 and holds about 17,000 cases total. That index is downloadable as a spreadsheet from the archives website.
Federal records for the Wasilla area are held at the National Archives at Seattle. These include federal court records, census records, and naturalization documents. Naturalization records from 1888 to 1972 are also available at FamilySearch, and a downloadable name index covering 1888 to 1972 is available from the Alaska State Archives. Military discharge records from 1898 to 1934 are indexed at the archives as well.
Land and Property Records
The Palmer-Wasilla-Talkeetna Town Lots Index (1905-1970) is a unique record set that covers early land transactions in Wasilla. This index is available through FamilySearch and helps researchers identify when a family acquired or sold property in the town. Land records for Matanuska-Susitna Borough are also searchable through the Alaska Department of Natural Resources ALRIS system, which provides free online access to deeds, mortgages, and other recorded property documents.
Federal land patents and deed records from 1906 to 1975 are also available through Ancestry. These records often contain family information including relationships to prior landowners and previous residences. For homestead claims in the Mat-Su Valley during the early statehood period, check both the National Archives at Seattle and the Bureau of Land Management records.
The Wasilla Chamber of Commerce provides community information and local business history for the Wasilla area. See wasillachamber.org for details.
State Archives and Digital Collections
The Alaska State Archives in Juneau holds Wasilla area records as part of its territorial collection. Beyond vital records, the archives hold Teacher Records from 1917 to 1959, a Pioneer Home Residents index from 1913 to 1980, and a World War I Veterans index. Naturalization records (1888-1972) are available as a downloadable spreadsheet. The Research Inquiry Form can be submitted online for specific record requests.
Alaska's Digital Archives at vilda.alaska.edu provides searchable access to historical photographs, maps, oral histories, and documents from archives and museums statewide. For Wasilla, this can surface early photographs of the railroad camp, agricultural development, and local individuals. The collection was built collaboratively by the Alaska State Library, University of Alaska Anchorage, and University of Alaska Fairbanks. Alaska's Digital Newspapers collection also provides access to historical newspaper archives that cover Mat-Su Valley communities going back several decades.
The Alaska State Library Historical Collections in Juneau (395 Whittier Street, phone 907-465-2910) holds the Alaska People Index, which covers more than 20,000 names across volumes spanning 1935 to 1985. This can help confirm biographical details for Wasilla residents during that period.
Funeral Home Records
Several funeral homes serve the Wasilla area and maintain records that can supplement vital records research. These include Valley Funeral Home, Legacy Funeral Home Wasilla Heritage Chapel, Cremation Society of Alaska Mat-Su Valley, and Alaska Ash Scatterings. Funeral home records often contain details not found in official death certificates, such as names of survivors, places of prior residence, and military service information. Contact each directly to ask about their records policy and what years they cover.
Note: Funeral home records are private business records. Access depends on each business's own policies and whether surviving family members can authorize release.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Records
Wasilla is the largest city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. All borough-level genealogy records, including those covering the broader Mat-Su Valley, are documented on the borough page. That page covers courthouse details, FamilySearch collections, state archive resources, and more.
Cities in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
These qualifying cities in Mat-Su Borough have dedicated genealogy pages on this site: