Families come together via the naming of a railroad station in Mendota, Minnesota

As you may have read before, my Great Granduncle Louis F. Slaker worked for the “Omaha” railroad. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha Railway was later part of the Chicago and North Western Railway system. In his position as a Superintendent, one of his tasks was naming a railroad station in Mendota (Dakota County), […]

My Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and Family History Library 2018 packing list

I already have a suitcase opened in my apartment and am adding things to it for my time at the 2018 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and some time at the Family History Library. This post is an update of one I shared in the past. It’s a January ritual for me and several hundred […]

Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Hennepin County) roots? Ongoing oral history project

Eden Prairie, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It was once a rural area but has grown into a place with a large population and the stores and activities to match. I lived there for a couple years and my ex-husband worked there for many years. There isn’t an old main street with quaint stores, […]

Contribute to on the spot street corner history in La Crosse, Wisconsin

A continuing education class that is open to anyone at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is inviting people to help complete an award-winning oral history project that accommodates self-guided tours. The class will add stories to the 50 already recorded. How do you access these self-guided history tours? At orange street signs in downtown La […]

Your family history “stuff” is valuable: safe storage for paper and other items

This is taken from the handout that accompanies my lecture titled Controlling Chaos: Organizing Your Genealogical Materials. We need to make sure our important family history paper, artifacts, and related items are stored properly.  Many larger historical societies offer classes on proper preservation techniques. Check for up-to-date websites and guidebooks. I did not check but […]

1985: Photos of the first Minnesota Genealogical Society Office & Library

A week ago, I wrote about the new Minnesota Genealogy Center that houses the Minnesota Genealogical Society, Branches, interest groups, and affiliates. This post shows 3 views of the very first place at 678 West Seventh Street in Saint Paul. As Dixie Hansen, another former MGS Board Member, pointed out in her comment on that […]

New images starting on War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions!

In case you didn’t see the press release, yet, the Preserve the Pensions work is really developing. According to FGS President, Rorey Cathcart, on the PTP Facebook page: “ This first new upload contains images for the names from Thompson Moore to William Moore.”   The press release text: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 23, 2017 […]