Have you ever heard a family story that sounds just a little too good to be true? Maybe it’s the tale of a “Cherokee princess” somewhere in your tree. Or maybe a great-aunt swore that your family is...
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Genealogy Mythbusters: Did Ellis Island Really Change Your Ancestor’s Name?
Family stories have a way of becoming family legends, and one of the most common you’ll hear in genealogical circles is this: “Our ancestor came through Ellis Island, and the clerks changed the...
Nela Park in Cleveland, General Electric’s Landmark of Light | Postcards from the Past
This postcard shows Nela Park in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the General Electric Company’s experimental headquarters. More than just an industrial site, Nela Park became one of the most famous research...
Bridgeport and the Island: Wheeling, West Virginia | Postcards from the Past
This vintage postcard captures a sweeping view of Bridgeport, Ohio, and Wheeling Island in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Ohio River bends through the middle of the scene, crossed by several bridges...
Chester Park Cincinnati History | Postcards from the Past
Cincinnati has always been a city that valued its public spaces, and one of its most fascinating historic gathering places was Chester Park. While the postcard image gives us only a glimpse of a...
September Book Giveaway: The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy (ENDED)
This giveaway has concluded. Stay tuned for our next giveaway. For September, I’m giving away a cornerstone genealogy reference: The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, Second Edition by Val D...
The Heart of Cincinnati at Fountain Square | Postcards from the Past
Every city has a spot that feels like its true center, the place where people gather and memories are made. For Cincinnati, that place has always been Fountain Square. It’s where families have met up...
Chimney Rock History and Memories | Postcards from the Past
Chimney Rock is one of those places that’s impossible to forget once you’ve seen it. Rising more than 200 feet into the air, that massive granite column looks like it’s reaching up to hold the sky...
Second Lives: Closing Thoughts on the Veterans Who Came Home
Wrap up the Second Lives series with reflections on tracing veterans’ lives after war. Learn why postwar stories matter in family history research.
Rekindling a Forty-Year Quest for Family Origins
“Many thanks, Will. You have rekindled my 40-year quest to find my family origins. Your weekly letters are greatly appreciated.” – Bryan When Bryan wrote those words to me, they carried more than...