Week 51: States and Provinces. What is
your favorite state or province for genealogical research? Who is most generous
with their records? How has this helped your family history research? Share
with others your tips and tricks for researching in this location.
I have to admit my family’s move to Virginia put us in an
excellent place to do research for family history. Living in here within driving distance to The
National Archives, The Library of Congress, The National Genealogical Society,
The Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters, and so many other
historical and genealogical significant places means that there is never an
excuse not to do research. You can read
about my discoveries in past posts on this blog.
Once you are in town you can spend every waking
moment in research endeavors. I have
found the archivists, volunteers, librarians, and staff at these locations very
helpful and friendly. There isn’t a
problem they won’t tackle and you can ask questions of them until you are blue
in the face. However, coming with a research
plan and a goal in mind will make your visits more productive and
worthwhile. But, I am sure you all know
that!
My advice to you is that you need to think about what
and how you pack. Most of these institutions
will not allow bags of any type into the research rooms. This means you will
need to store your belongings in lockers and carry your equipment into the
research rooms and this can effect what you
take. A little thought will need to be put into it to keep you happy and sane. For instance loose papers are discouraged in
the reading room at NARA. In this case
having your notes on a laptop or tablet would be most beneficial.
Here’s to happy ancestor hunting in the Nation’s Capital!
photo credit: Klara Kim via photopin cc
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