February Genealogy Meetings, Classes, and Events

February is off to a mild start, just right for attending all of the special events scheduled for the month. Of course, StLGS has plenty for you to do, but so do many of our friends and partners in the St. Louis area. If you have been waiting for classes, tours, or lectures on a wide variety of topics, this month is filled with dates to add to your calendar.

Upcoming Meetings

StLGS Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 8 February 2020

"Preserving Family Documents and Photos," by Ilene Murray, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the StLGS website.

 

Cliff Cave Library Genealogy Presentation: Wednesday, 5 February 2020

"Genealogy: Where's Grandma? Tracing Female Ancestry," by Judy Belford, St. Louis County Library Cliff Cave Branch, 6:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the library's website. 
  

Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 15 February 2020

"Czech Research Time," general discussion, St. Louis County Library Headquarters History and Genealogy Dept., 1:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the group's website.
 

Upcoming StLGS Classes

• "Intermediate RootsMagic" (PC only) by Ted Steele, 8 February 2020

• "Foundations of Genealogy, Parts I and II," by Ilene Murray; Saturday, 15 and Saturday, 22 February 2020, 

Classes are held at the StLGS Office from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Free to StLGS members; fee for non-members; pre-registration required at 314-647-8547.

 More information on these and more StLGS classes on our website.

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February Classes at St. Louis County Library

• 6 and 29 February: "History and Genealogy in Newspapers," Cliff Cave and Headquarters
• 11 February: "Who Were My Ancestors? Beginning Family History Research," Thorn Hill
• 18 February: "Finding Ancestors in U.S. Census Records," Oak Bend
• 22 February: "Tracing Your African American Ancestors: Advanced Techniques," Florissant Valley
• 22 February: "Tracing Your African American Ancestors: Records of Slave Owning Families," Florissant Valley
• 25 February: "Getting More out of FamilySearch," Daniel Boone
• 26 and 27 February: "Family History Online: Databases for Genealogical Research," Headquarters and Mid-County

All library classes are free but require pre-registration. More information available on the library's website.
  

Upcoming Special Events

"Father of Waters: Early Explorers on the Mississippi River"
Lecture at the Missouri History Museum, Thursday, 13 February 2020,

AT&T Multipurpose Room, 6:00 p.m. Free; but pre-registration is required at this link.

African American History Tours at Bellefontaine Cemetery

Celebrate African American History month with two special trolley tours in this historic and beautiful cemetery. The tours last approximately two hours; they are free but pre-registration is required.

• Tuesday, 4 February at 10:00 a.m. Registration at this link.
• Thursday, 20 February at 1:30 p.m. Registration at this link.  

  StLGS Trivia Night: Saturday, 7 March 2020

Richmond Heights Community Center, 8001 Dale Avenue (just south of I-64 between Hanley and Big Bend); doors open at 6:15 p.m.; questions begin at 7:00 p.m.

Questions on all topics. We'll provide snacks, fun, and an awesome silent auction!

Check out our website for more information and/or to register.

 

Enjoy a History Staycation in St. Louis

 Missouri History Museum in Forest Park: Mighty Mississippi

There is nothing like a holiday weekend with out-of-town company to get you off the couch and finally visiting two wonderful St. Louis venues that are all about history. If you ever wondered how much of an influence the Mississippi River has had on St. Louis, head over to the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park to see the "Mighty Mississippi," a special exhibit that opened in late November and will remain in place until April 2021. Encompassing more than four hundred years of history, this slice of life in the Mississippi River watershed includes information on many of the religious and ethnic groups that lived and worked along the river and settled the city.

A sensory delight of panoramic displays, artifacts, and hands-on video and audio stations, the exhibit takes you through time, introduces you to many of the important people in the city's history, and keeps you engaged and fascinated as you learn more about how the river has supported life for generations. Learn more about the exhibit on the Missouri History Museum's website.

  

While you are at the History Museum, don't miss the extremely moving exhibit of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs. This exhibit will close in just a few weeks—on 20 January 2020—and is absolutely stunning in its raw depiction of the highs and tragic lows from 1942 until the present. You will undoubtedly remember seeing many of these photos when they first were published. They are intense in their revelations of war, crime, bigotry, and tragedy as well as breathtaking in their celebration of life, triumph, and love. For those of you with an interest in history, this one is a must-see, but be forewarned, some of the images will stay with you long after you leave the gallery!

 

The Museum at the Gateway Arch

Sure, it's always fun to ride up to the top of the Arch to see the panoramic view on a clear day, and it is really a must-do activity when friends or family visit from another city. However, within the past year, the museum under the Arch has undergone a massive renovation and is really worth a visit on its own merits. There is also a new café adjacent to the museum where you can get a snack or a meal.

The exhibits in the newly-expanded museum are bright, packed with information, and guaranteed to pique your interest.  Beginning with Native American settlement, the chronological history of the city and its environs is told in an inclusive and eye-opening manner. You will learn more about the early Native American and Creole inhabitants, the pioneers, the adventurers and fur traders, the immigrants, and the quest to keep moving west. An additional gallery reveals many details on the actual construction of the Arch in the 1960s. Learn more about the museum and check out what is in each of the galleries at the National Park Service's website.

Since the Gateway Arch is now under the auspices of the National Park Service, you do need to go through a security checkpoint before entering the museum. You may not have any weapons with you, and purses, backpacks, etc., will go through a conveyor belt while you walk through an airport-style security machine. There is a  small entrance fee to the site and an additional charge to ride up to the top. If you have a National Park Service pass, you will get a discount on the fees. Get help planning a visit on the Gateway Arch's website.

Why not plan to visit these two wonderful local museums while you have some time off this winter? You will gain so much insight into the history of our city when you do!

 (All photos by Ilene Murray)

The War of 1812 in Missouri AND Fan Charts: New Products for Sale!

StLGS volunteers have been very busy this spring getting more new products ready for family history researchers. We now have two new books about the War of 1812 in Missouri and the formation of the Missouri Rangers.

The War of 1812 in Missouri, Volumes One and Two

Based on the work of noted genealogist, Robert Parkin, and edited by Ann Fleming, Ruth Ann Hager, and Ilene Murray, these volumes are rich with the history of the pioneers and Native Americans who were in the Mississippi and Missouri River Valleys during the early nineteenth century. The editors have added maps, glossaries, bibliographies, and indexes filling both books with valuable information for researchers of the time period.

Book One, called Tales of the Red Head, Black Hawk, and Missouri Rangers centers on the life and times of William Clark, Black Hawk, and the intrepid men and families who settled the frontier.

Book Two, called Profiles of Missouri Rangers, contains genealogical and biographical information on many of the people mentioned in the first volume. At the end of this volume is a section with rarely-seen early maps of the state and individual counties along the rivers.

If you had ancestors in the territory that became the state of Missouri, you will want to have these books in your library. You can buy them singly or in a set at the StLGS store. Much more information about the contents of the books is on our website. You can click on the button on the StLGS home page or go directly to the books' page. (Members: Remember to log in first to get your coupon code for the store.) Questions about the books? Send an email to publications@stlgs.org.

Fan Charts

The society is now offering family tree fan charts in two sizes: seven and nine generations. Both come in full-color, and the nine-generation chart also comes in black and white. You can get your chart with or without names and dates. They are printed in our office and can be ordered in person or via email. The charts are based on GEDCOM files, which must be submitted with your order.

Complete instructions for ordering a fan chart are on the StLGS website. You can download a booklet that contains an order form and explains how to create your GEDCOM on the Fan Charts page.

Questions about fan charts should be sent to fanchart@stlgs.org.