My name is Bob Jenkins and I am the Kitsap County Coordinator.
We have many genealogical resources available here.
We would appreciate any contributions you would like to make to this site.
Brief History of Kitsap County, Washington
Kitsap County, nestled between the Hood Canal and Puget Sound, was officially founded on January 16, 1857. Originally named Slaughter County, it was quickly renamed to honor Chief Kitsap, a respected war leader of the Suquamish Tribe.
Before European settlement, the region was home to several Coast Salish communities—including the Suquamish, Klallam, and Twana peoples—who lived in cedar longhouses and thrived on salmon fishing, hunting, and foraging. Their rich cultural networks were built on intertribal marriages and shared linguistic heritage.
The arrival of settlers in the 19th century brought logging and milling industries, which cleared dense forests and gave rise to company towns. The county’s economic centerpiece emerged in 1891 with the founding of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, which remains the largest employer in the region.
Waterways have always shaped Kitsap’s identity. The Washington State Ferry System and tribal canoe routes have long connected its communities to the rest of the Puget Sound region. Today, Kitsap County blends maritime heritage, military significance, and tribal legacy into a vibrant cultural landscape.
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