June 2023 Virtual Course: Digging Deeper into Genealogy

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh  , ,  Leave a comment

It’s just over 3 months till the 2023 virtual week of the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). The wide variety of courses provide education on almost everything genealogical. The course I have told you about does still have some openings after last week’s rush to register. Not everyone had free time to do that registration last week. “Digging Deeper: Records, Tools, and Skills” takes you beyond basic genealogy into more records, repositories, analysis, and some interactive sessions.

You still have time to register, and the other instructors and I welcome you. We are currently working on our syllabus material. Lots of new material to add, new online databases, verifying URLs, and working on the actual presentations at the same time. The 2022 syllabus for this course ended up at 175 pages.

We will be meeting online via Zoom and it works amazingly well for this course. Participants do not need their own subscription, GRIP takes care of that. Sunday evening, 18 June is a GRIP welcome session and details for all participants. Monday through Thursday this course meets all day and Friday is a half day.


Adoptees and family members may apply for FREE DNA kits. 5,000 kits!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Adoption, MyHeritage  ,  Leave a comment

An announcement from MyHeritage at RootsTech is special for adoptees and family members searching for their connections.  In his announcement, Daniel Horowitz states that he was proud of the “company’s commitment to make the world a better place. In that spirit, it gives me great pleasure to tell you that we have just launched a third installment of our DNA Quest project to reunite adoptees with their birth families through DNA testing.” 

No matter where you live, “anyone in the world over the age of 18 who meets that criteria is welcome to apply from now until March 17, 2023.” Click here to apply.

DNA Quest feature image 753 x 423

I applaud this wonderful project by MyHeritage. Please let others know about it.

p.s. If you need to purchase a kit, they are on sale at MyHeritage’s website.



South Dakota State Historical Society Shutdown for renovation

Paula Stuart-Warren  Archives  ,  Leave a comment

A March 3, 2023, Press Release provided dates for a lengthy shutdown while the Cultural Heritage Center in the state capital of Pierre is being renovated.

“PIERRE, S.D. – Plans are moving forward to renovate the historic Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.

Last year, the State Historical Society received an appropriation to renovate the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. Renovation plans include updates to the archives research room, heating and cooling systems, interior lighting, and increased collections storage capacity. Archives and museum staff and collections will be temporarily relocated during the renovation.

Due to this renovation, the archives research room will be closed to in-person research visits beginning March 10. The archives will continue to provide research services to the public through email, mail, and telephone requests throughout the renovation. Archives staff will also continue to accept donations, process collections, catalog books, digitize materials, and provide outreach services.  

After March 10, researchers are encouraged to call 605-773-3804 or email [email protected] to request research services. The renovations to the Cultural Heritage Center are anticipated to be complete in 2025, and in-person visits will resume at that time in the newly updated facility.

The South Dakota State Historical Society Museum is currently scheduled to be closed to the public starting March 25. Museum staff have been working on preparing artifacts for storage during the renovation and so far, 50 percent of the artifacts are off exhibit. Further details will be coming about opportunities to see museum exhibits on display around the state in coming months.

For more information about archival support, contact the State Historical Society-State Archives at 605-773-3804 or visit history.sd.gov/archives.”


Tomorrow (Feb 22) is the day to register for GRIP genealogy education

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, Uncategorized  , ,  Leave a comment

Time sure flys! Tomorrow, February 22, 2023 is when online registration starts for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. June courses are virtual, July courses are in-person. Each is a week-long event.

Smart genealogists view the courses and then the registration page details so they are ready on Wednesday. As coordinators and instructors, my colleagues and I watch excitedly to see who signs up for the courses we have developed. I’m partial to the live virtual course https://www.gripitt.org/courses/digging_deeper/ and I will also be teaching several sessions in the live virtual Great Lakes course.

Please let others know about the opening of registration so they don’t miss out on the course they want. Join the GRIP page on Facebook and post your course choice on social media so others know about this great institute. 

 

 

Minnesota lake has been a sanctuary to African Americans for nearly 100 years

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota, Uncategorized    Leave a comment

A recent Google news alert led me to a Minnesota tradition that I did not know about. WDIO, a TV station in Duluth, told a story about a lake in Minnesota.

“In Minnesota, going up North for the weekend to experience cabin life is no rarity. Something good is always cooking up North—family time, fishing, exploring, or just simply enjoying the lake views. However, for the last century a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has done more than that. It is called, Lake Adney, and for nearly 100 years African Americans from all over the country have come there to have their own piece of paradise.” 

Read the full February 16th WDIO story here.

 

 

Only 3 more days till GRIP genealogical virtual education registration

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  , ,  Leave a comment
ONLY 3 more days until online registration opens for the 2023 Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh! Week-long genealogical education. Won’t you consider joining us for this live virtual course? You won’t have to wear shoes, can make your own coffee or lemonade, and can start a load of laundry or feed your pets during the breaks between sessions! The syllabus is well over 100 pages. Sign up on Wednesday, February 22.
 
Check out the registration page to be ready when the courses offered online in June will open for registration at Noon ET, 11 CT, 10 MT and 9 a.m. on the U.S. west coast. https://www.gripitt.org/
https://www.gripitt.org/

Minnesota Highway Department photos, maps, and more.

Paula Stuart-Warren  Minnesota  ,  2 Comments

“The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently added 40 books and 272 maps related to Minnesota’s highway history to the Minnesota Digital Library, including planning information, proposed routes, and transcripts from public hearings.”

I read that and had to go look at the material. Historical information on maps, highways, interstates, and related things have always fascinated me. I was not disappointed in what I found!

Highway maps, state road improvements, and whether a road was paved, dirt, or other material were shown from the first part of the 1900s. I could see where roads were improving, what routes people likely took to go to a lake cabin or to visit relatives all around the state. Scrapbooks from employees, photos down sewers, photos of highway department facilities around the state, official trail registrations, and much more. A 1922 photo of state highway department staff WITH NAMES taken on University Avenue in Saint Paul.  

This is where I found the original post: https://minitex.umn.edu/news/minnesota-digital-library/2023-02/new-mdl-content-minnesota-highway-history-mndot

This is the link to the Minnesota Digital Library for all of this. https://collection.mndigital.org/?f%5Bcollection_name_ssi%5D%5B%5D=Minnesota+Department+of+Transportation

Don’t blame me if you spend too much time on the Minnesota Digital Library for all this and for the other many thousands of photos, documents, maps, newsletters, oral histories . . .

 

 

Added info on my online March Family History Course

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment

I had a question about the online Family History Course I am teaching in March. (See the post below this one.) That person wanted to know how to get caught up if they have to miss one of the four sessions. That’s an easy answer! The sessions will be recorded and those will be available to registrants for 3 months after the course ends. Be sure to read about all the facts for this course on the Clayton Library Friends website. 

Your registration Includes:

  • Access to four live 90-minute sessions via Zoom
  • Playback access to all sessions through June 25, 2023
  • Comprehensive handouts with session reminders, tips, annotated bibliography, and lists of helpful websites and tools
  • Brief homework assignments to help you apply what you’ve learned to your own research
  • Bonus sessions (30 minutes after Weeks 2-4) to interact with instructor / librarians and cover additional topics

 

 

 

 

Registration is open for online Family History Research Course this March

Paula Stuart-Warren  Education, Genealogy  ,  Leave a comment

Are you a beginning family history researcher? Maybe it’s been a while since you worked on it and need to update and restart your family history research? Join the Clayton Library Friends and Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, professional researcher and lecturer for 4 online sessions in March! Each session is accompanied by an extensive handout with additional tips, books, websites, and more. These sessions are designed to start you or kick start you back to the path to discover your ancestors! Registrants will learn about some extras beyond the basic course included at no extra cost. Join us! https://claytonlibraryfriends.org/course