Places to Start Your Family Tree Research Project
Starting your family tree research can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know where to begin. For those of you just starting out in the hobby and addiction that is genealogy, here are a few hints and places that you might be able to gain the information that you need.
Place # 1: Your Family
Remember your great grandmother? You know, the one who always sits in the corner and tells tall tales of days gone by. Or perhaps it’s your grandfather who is the spinner of tales. Believe it or not, those tall tales can be a fantastic starting point for starting your family tree research. Sit down and have a few conversations with the older members of your family. Chances are, if you show interest in the people in your collective past, they’ll have plenty of information to share. Now granted, there is always a chance that there information may be incorrect, so you need to see if you can find some outside verification.
Place #2: The Local Library
There is a place, close by that usually can offer verification of your family member’s information for your family tree research. That place of course, is your local public library. If it is large enough, the libraries will have a sizable reference area. Ask the librarian to direct you to the genealogy room or local history room. There you will find local census records, old maps, and sometimes even birth and death records through the old newspapers. Also, never be afraid to ask the reference librarian for help in your family tree research. They are there to help you.
Place # 3: Local Historical Society
If you know where your family resided for most of their time here in the states, chances are if you go to the local historical society for that town, they’ll be able to help you conduct your family tree research. These places are great finds in that they keep alive the local history that simply cannot be gotten from the local census, or even the history books from the school. A visit to this place is essential for any family tree research.
These are but a few of the places that you can start your family tree research. Be sure to ask around at your local library, or even the local senior citizen home, and you’ll be able to gain more information, and a more complete story of your family history.