BCGS Meeting
2025-02-08 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-03-08 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-12 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-10 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-06-14 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-12 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-09 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-13 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) and 2 more dates
TOPIC TBD

How Do I Keep All This Stuff Straight: Organizing Your Research
2025-02-08 13:00 - 16:00
Don’t let the “stuff” of genealogy overwhelm your space or your computer files. Organized research can save you time and money and help guide you to the next big breakthrough!

Navigating Naturalization Records
2025-03-08 13:00 - 16:00
First papers, petitions, certificates and registrations. These are some of the key documents for Naturalization–the process to apply to become a U.S. citizen. Due to changing laws and an evolving process over time, locating the appropriate official paperwork can often be a challenging task for family historians. Learn how to navigate naturalization records and what information they contain about your ancestors.

Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking
2025-04-12 13:00 - 16:00
Did great-grandpa traverse this nation as he worked for the railroad? For which railroad did he work? Where did it run? Are there railroad records which may give us personal details? Visuals and references demonstrate the wealth of historical materials available all across the U.S. When this lecture is over you will know where to turn to find out more about the railroad, its records, and where to find them. Also learn about online personnel and payroll records, indexes, books, railroad employee and union magazine indexes, inventories of railroad records, indexes of insurance claims, identified photographs of people, trains, and stations, architectural drawings, and links to other free websites and finding aids. Some of these lists give a person’s name, birth date and place, railroad jobs held, and more. An extensive handout gives links to these and many others.

7 Immigration Methodologies
2025-05-10 13:00 - 16:00
Family historians face significant challenges tracing immigrant ancestors. Changes in language, culture, family composition, given name, surname, country of residence, and occupation tend to obscure the origins of many immigrants. We will be introduced to seven methodologies to effectively trace immigrant origins, illustrated with examples from the early 1600s to the early 1900s.

Daughters of the American Revolution Update and Genealogical Research System
2025-06-14 13:00 - 16:00
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has been collecting genealogical information since 1890 to support both the application process for membership and to honor the service of Patriots. The Society operates a marvelous library in Washington, DC. Over the last few years they have scanned and provided public access to extensive online resources. Come learn more.

A Nose for News: 20 Tips for Getting the Most out of Newspapers
2025-07-12 13:00 - 16:00
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has been collecting genealogical information since 1890 to support both the application process for membership and to honor the service of Patriots. The Society operates a marvelous library in Washington, DC. Over the last few years they have scanned and provided public access to extensive online resources.

Using Google Earth for Genealogy
2025-08-09 13:00 - 16:00
Google Earth is one of the best free genealogical tools available! Learn how to unlock mysteries in your research from unidentified photographs, to how an ancestral location looked a hundred years ago or more, to plotting homesteads precisely using land patent legal descriptions. You’ll learn how to interpret the genealogical records you already have in new and exciting ways using layers, overlays, forensic analysis, and little known online tech tools.

Colonial Immigrants: Who They Were and Where They Came From
2025-09-13 13:00 - 16:00
Between 1607 and 1790, about 900,000 immigrants came to the colonies. Learn about each of the nationalities that came before the Revolutionary War, where they came from, and sources available to identify them.

How to Find the Truth about a Family Story
2025-10-11 13:00 - 16:00
Oral history provides the foundation for all family research. Documentary evidence builds structure on that foundation. But documents often conflict with family traditions. How do we determine the core truths that are essential to understanding our own past? Learn how to examine the causes of those conflicts and how to peel away generations of confusion to find the real story that underpins family lore. Case studies include both Native American and African American traditions.

BCGS No Meeting
2025-12-13 13:00 - 16:00
Library Open House
