We Are Ready to Celebrate America's 250th Birthday!

Happy New Year! This year marks the start of the second quarter of the 21st century, and it also begins the celebration of America’s 250th birthday! Along with many other history and genealogy societies, StLGS is planning special events throughout the year as well as taking part in other groups' events in the St. Louis area. We thought we’d start this special year off with a glimpse of what life was like for some of our ancestors as the United States began its journey to independence from England. Join us for a trip back to 1776 . . .

January Genealogy Meetings are Coming Your Way!

We hope you had a festive Chanukah, Christmas, and/or Kwanzaa and that your new year will be off to a good start. As we head into January 2026 this week, we want to remind you of our upcoming genealogy meetings, and we hope you will take out your calendar, whether on your phone or that old fashioned but still reliable paper version, and note the following dates. We hope to see you very soon at a meeting or two. And stay tuned for a busy and exciting genealogy schedule for this coming year!

It's Time for Our Annual Genealogy Gift List!

It's become a holiday tradition to publish our "Genealogy Gift Guide" each year to bring you timely suggestions for the genealogists on your holiday shopping list. As always, we have a wide variety of gift suggestions that are easy to find either locally or online. Something here is sure to fit the bill for the family historian on your annual gift-giving list whether you get into your car or shop comfortably at your computer. Have fun fulfilling someone's (or your own) wish lists!

Kudos to Reclaim the Records Once Again for the New York State Death Index!

Our friends at the amazing Reclaim the Records have chalked up another victory for genealogists who had ancestors who died in New York from 1880 to 2017. We have written about this small but mighty nonprofit several times before, alerting our readers to their ongoing battles for indexes and records that should be public but are being held out of sight by unending red tape. Now, the group has announced another victory which many of us will be very pleased to see. Here are the details . . .

We're All Set for 2026 and a Reminder About Giving Tuesday!

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and with the arrival of our first measurable snow in St. Louis this weekend, most of us are now well into the mood for the upcoming holiday season! We have a sneak peek for you now of the first StLGS genealogy programs of 2026, and we also want to remind you how important it is to help your favorite nonprofits as much as you can on Giving Tuesday. Please read on for details.

Another Holiday Tradition: The Thanksgiving Song

Do you remember learning that sweet Thanksgiving song when you were younger? Did you hum "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go" long before you ever knew that horses were harnessed to sleighs in the days before people just got into their cars and drove to Grandma's? Like many holiday traditions, this well-worn one is not the same as when it started, and so we thought you'd like a little background before you start humming this week. We hope you still have a grandparent to go to for your holiday, or, if you are the grandparent, that your family will be making a trek to your comfortable home for a delicious holiday meal. Meanwhile, here's some fun information on this beloved holiday classic.

How You Can Help StLGS This Holiday Season

St. Louis Genealogical Society (StLGS) has had a busy, productive year, and, with your help, we are looking ahead to another exciting schedule of genealogy events in 2026. Many genealogy societies continue to struggle, losing members, lacking volunteers, and coping with reduced finances. However, we continue to stand solid in the genealogy community because of our wonderful, loyal members and friends, and as this year comes to a close, we are asking you once again to remember the society in your year-end giving plans. We have accomplished a great deal this past year, due to your support and generosity, and we are excited about what is in the future.  We continue to be very proud of what our society has done and will do in the upcoming months!