C and XC Pension Files for the Civil War

UPDATE: The custodial information presented in this post may be out of date. Please visit the Civil War Military Records Research page on archives.gov for information on how to order Civil War Pension Files. The following is a guest blog from Diane Dimkoff, director of the Customer Services Division. Most Union Army soldiers, their widows, or minor … Continue reading C and XC Pension Files for the Civil War

Researcher concerns about the digitized records available on the web sites of NARA’s digitization partners

Recently on NARAtions we heard from researchers who expressed concerns about the digitized records available on the web sites of NARA’s digitization partners.  We shared these concerns with NARA's Access Programs office, NARA's Digital Strategies and Services Staff, and with our digitization partners and we would like to respond to these concerns here on NARAtions. Since 2007 … Continue reading Researcher concerns about the digitized records available on the web sites of NARA’s digitization partners

Participate in the Archives.gov Web Redesign Card Sort!

We are redesigning Archives.gov to make it easier and quicker for you to find the information you need as part of NARA’s Flagship Open Government Initiative.  We want your opinions to help us to develop a web site designed for participation.  Throughout the redesign process, we’ll be inviting you to participate by voting, sorting, commenting, … Continue reading Participate in the Archives.gov Web Redesign Card Sort!

DC-area Researchers: Mark your calendars for the next researcher meeting.

Please join us on March 19th at 1 PM at Archives II in College Park (room TBD) for the first of a new series of monthly researcher meetings. Continuing the tradition of our Archives I Users Group, we will be holding monthly meetings with researchers to keep you informed of what is happening at Archives … Continue reading DC-area Researchers: Mark your calendars for the next researcher meeting.

DC-area Researchers: Welcome to our new discussion space!

Our researchers in Archives I asked for a way that we could continue the discussions begun at our recent researcher meeting at Archives I in Washington, DC. Special media researchers have also encouraged us to make communications easier with staff and managers. In response, we’re introducing a specialized series here on NARAtions. This new set … Continue reading DC-area Researchers: Welcome to our new discussion space!

Question: Which U.S. decennial census is your favorite and why?

On April 2, 2012, the Federal Census Bureau will be releasing the 1940 Census for public access.  For many genealogists and researchers, the release of this census will open new insights into pre-war America, as well as provide opportunities for genealogists and family historians to continue their research into this most recent decade.  Like all … Continue reading Question: Which U.S. decennial census is your favorite and why?

Family Tree Friday: Passport Applications Provide Information About Individuals

Did your ancestor travel abroad?  If your ancestor was a U.S. citizen, then he or she may have applied for a U.S. passport.  The records include standard information such as the date of birth, occupation, and citizenship information.  Some of the applications provide additional information that may lead to immigration or naturalization records.  Some even … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: Passport Applications Provide Information About Individuals

NARA Staff Favorites- Online Records

We’ve loved reading your suggestions and comments about sharing NARA’s holdings on Flickr, and it’s been interesting to see which images people are marking as favorites. All of this got us wondering about which records NARA insiders are particularly fond of, so we asked a few of our experienced colleagues for their picks. This week’s … Continue reading NARA Staff Favorites- Online Records

Family History Friday: The real scoop about name changes in immigration records.

Have you ever had an immigrant ancestor whose name appeared to change after they came to America?  It was a very common occurrence, but the popular perception is that U.S. immigration officials deliberately changed a person's name if they couldn't understand the verbal information relayed to them by the immigrant.  In fact, this is one … Continue reading Family History Friday: The real scoop about name changes in immigration records.

Question: What’s the biggest dead-end you ever hit in your research where you suddenly, unexpectedly found a way forward?

It happens to all of us.  You follow one lead after another, following a thread of information that seems to link your months, or even years, of research together.  Then, suddenly, the thread is gone.  What do you do then?  For many, this is a dead-end; all that time spent working on a topic has … Continue reading Question: What’s the biggest dead-end you ever hit in your research where you suddenly, unexpectedly found a way forward?