Access Wrangell Birth Records
Wrangell City and Borough birth records are filed with the State of Alaska at its central office in Juneau. Wrangell is one of the oldest communities in Alaska, located on Wrangell Island in the Southeast panhandle. About 2,100 people live here. The borough was set up in 2008 as a consolidated city-borough. No local office in Wrangell issues birth certificates. To find or order a Wrangell birth record, you go through the Alaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. You can order by mail, fax, online, or in person. The tool below can help you start a search for Wrangell birth records.
Wrangell City and Borough Birth Records Overview
About Wrangell Borough Birth Records
Wrangell has a layered past. Tlingit people lived on the island for thousands of years. The Russians built a fort here in the 1830s. The British took it over, and then the Americans came in 1867. It is one of only three Alaska towns that has been under all three flags. The consolidated city-borough was formed in 2008. Today about 2,100 people call it home. The town sits on the northern tip of Wrangell Island, near the mouth of the Stikine River.
Wrangell does not have a local vital records office. All Wrangell birth records are kept by the Alaska Department of Health in Juneau. Every birth in the borough is filed with the state within five days. The local clinic sends the data to the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. The state logs the child's name, place and date of birth, parents' names, and file number.
Under Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50, Wrangell birth records are closed for 100 years from the date of birth. Only the person named on the record, a parent, a guardian, or a few other parties can order a copy. AS 18.50.310 spells out the rules on who can see the records. After 100 years, anyone can ask for a copy.
Order Wrangell Birth Records
Wrangell is an island community in Southeast Alaska. The walk-in offices are in Juneau and Anchorage. Juneau is the closer one, reachable by ferry or small plane. For most people in Wrangell, online or mail is the easiest way to get a birth record. Pick one method per request. Sending two orders for the same record may lead to a double charge.
Online orders go through VitalChek for Alaska. You fill in the form, upload your photo ID, and pay with a card. There is an extra service fee. Orders ship in two to three weeks. This is the fastest way for Wrangell residents to order a birth record without leaving the island.
Mail orders are cheaper but take longer. Print the state form from the Alaska Department of Health vital records orders page. Fill it out, sign it, and send it with a copy of your photo ID and a check for $30. Extra copies cost $25. Mail it to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675. Mail orders take two to three months. Fax orders go to (907) 465-3618.
Walk-in service at the Juneau office is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone is (907) 465-3391. The Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101 is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone is (907) 269-0991. Both hand you a copy the same day.
Who Can Order Wrangell Records
Alaska is a closed-record state. Recent Wrangell birth records are not open to just anyone. The state checks your photo ID against the record. You must have a direct link to the person named.
- The person named on the record, age 14 or older with photo or school ID
- A parent listed on the certificate
- A legal guardian with certified court papers
- A third party with a notarized letter from the person named on the record
- An attorney or government agency on letterhead
Heirloom birth certificates are also sold by the state. The cost is $55 for the first copy and $50 for extras. Two artist designs are on sale. Friends and family can order one as a gift for an eligible person. The Alaska Department of Health about vital records page has more on who can order.
Older Wrangell birth records that are more than 100 years old are open to everyone. Records from 1925 and before are now public. The state charges $30 for a certified copy of a public record.
Historical Wrangell Birth Records
Wrangell is one of the oldest towns in Alaska. Tlingit people have lived on the island for centuries. Russians, British, and Americans all ran the town at different points. Many babies were born here long before the state began to file births in 1913. Early Wrangell birth records come mostly from church books, mission logs, and Russian Orthodox parish records. These are some of the most detailed sources for old births in Southeast Alaska.
The Wrangell City and Borough government website has links to local services and community info. While the city does not handle vital records, the site can help you find local resources for research.
FamilySearch and the Alaska State Archives have scanned more than 1.1 million pages of vital records. Craig birth, marriage, and death records from 1910 to 1991 cover some of the same region as Wrangell. The FamilySearch Alaska Vital Records wiki has free indexes and images. The Alaska State Archives in Juneau holds vital statistics from 1816 through 1998. The Alaska State Archives collection guides can help you plan a research trip.
Note: Old Wrangell birth records that are more than 100 years old are open to anyone, but the state still charges $30 for a certified copy.
Local Resources in Wrangell
Wrangell Medical Center is the local health facility. It files each new birth with the state. New parents get the first copy of the birth certificate free through the hospital packet. Extra copies cost $25 each.
For help with a delayed Wrangell birth record or a correction, contact the state Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200. A delayed record is made for someone born in Alaska who never had a birth filed. This was not rare in Wrangell before 1930, given the mix of cultures and the lack of state filing at the time. The cost is $60 and the wait is about three months. Papers must be mailed or hand-carried. The CDC where to write page for Alaska has the full contact info for the state office.
The Wrangell Museum keeps local records, photos, and artifacts. It may help with family history work for people with roots in the Wrangell area. The Irene Ingle Public Library also has genealogy resources and online access to sites like FamilySearch.
Nearby Boroughs
Wrangell sits in the middle of Southeast Alaska, near other boroughs and census areas. Each one uses the same state system for birth records. Browse nearby pages below.
The Alaska record dates page lists what years of records are open to the public for each type of vital record in Alaska.