by Juliana Szucs
Do you long for a place where everyone loves history as much
as you do? A place where we can gather and learn about the lives of our ancestors
through engaging sessions and one-on-one discussions with others who share our
passion? We have the perfect place for you. The National Genealogical Society’s
annual conference is taking us to Louisville, Kentucky, from 23-26 May. It will
be held at the Galt Hotel, a place steeped in history, which doubles as the
convention center. Here, you can mingle with fellow genealogists and family
history buffs who appreciate the importance of safeguarding our collective
history, by preserving the stories of those who made it.
The Program
Want more? How about
presentations and workshops given by the country’s best and brightest
genealogists, with plenty of tips and tricks to jumpstart your family history
projects or break through some brick walls. We’re really excited about our
speakers and the program we have in store for our guests on Saturday and Sunday.
(As an added bonus, attendees will have continued access to all the lectures in
the Whova app through 15 July 2025.)
Let’s talk about these sessions, and why you need to join us.
NGS conferences don’t just provide you with tools to build or expand your
family tree. Sure, there will be plenty of discussion around unique records
that can aid your research, but you will also learn where to find them, and
perhaps most importantly, how to use and understand what the records mean.
Regionally, waterways powered migration and life in the Ohio
River Valley. Residents used rivers to bring in new settlers and supplies and
create economic opportunities. Initially, political boundaries were fluid in
this area, so knowing the history can determine where the records you need can
be found.
Beyond records, there will be a track on methodology, but
not the boring kind. We go past those names and dates and weave social history
into your family legacy. Its importance goes further than just turning out a
good story; a full understanding of the social conditions of the day will help
you better understand your ancestors and the choices they made, leading to new
breakthroughs. And the Family Stories and Oral History track will help
you to memorialize what you’ve learned so that it can endure for posterity.
Of course, you’ll be able to attend lectures that take deep
dives into the latest technology, using DNA to find connections not found in
records, and looking at unique clusters in your matches to find out where they
originated. Learn from the leaders in genetic and forensic genealogy field (and
while you’re at it, pick up a copy of the latest NGS publication, Forensic Genealogy:
Theory & Practice, by Michael S. Ramage, JD, CG, and
Catherine Becker Wiest Desmarais, CG).
We’ll also examine AI's strengths and weaknesses for various
tasks, including transcribing, translating, extracting, summarizing, and
analyzing the data we find in sometimes complicated and cumbersome records.
Side Trips
Still not enough? Then sign up for one of several tours
available on 23 May. How about a trip to the nearby Filson Historical Society,
where you’ll have access to its vast collections documenting not just
Louisville but the entire Ohio River Valley, the Upper South, and beyond? Here you can access manuscripts, maps,
diaries, correspondence, business and organizational records, newspapers, and
more. Its microform collection also includes the Lyman Draper Manuscripts, which
focuses on the history of the "Trans-Allegheny West," including
regions like the Ohio River Valley, Virginia, the western Carolinas, and parts
of the Mississippi Valley, primarily between the 1740s and 1830s.
Another tour will take you to the state capital for a research day at the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives and the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, an hour or so away.
In a mood to just explore Old Louisville? A third 1.2 mile walking tour will teach you about the architectural elements and historical styles of the third largest historic district in America. Points of interest include the Fredrick Law Olmstead-designed Central Park, the Conrad Caldwell House, the Landward House, and for urban folklorists—the Witch’s Tree.
And let’s not forget our host society, the Sons of the
American Revolution (SAR), whose library and museum is in Louisville. Not only
will their volunteers be welcoming us to Louisville, they can help you connect
with your Revolutionary War past just in time for America’s 250th
celebration. On Sunday, Deborah Maddox and William Burchfield, MSLS, both
genealogists at the NSSAR will share their best advice to a successful lineage
application. (Session SU26.)
Stay an extra day with us for a special Memorial Day Monday
event at the famous Cave Hill Cemetery. (Now I know we’ve got you. C’mon, it’s
a historic cemetery. No genealogist can resist a good cemetery.) Initially, the
tour will allow you to explore at your own pace, the 296-acre grounds’ stunning
gardens, towering trees, and iconic monuments honoring influential
Louisvillians and a range of architectural styles spanning more than 170 years.
The day will culminate with a respectful Memorial Day service in the National
Cemetery section.
Note: The organized tours to the Filson Historical
Society, to the library and archive in Frankfort, and the walking tour of
Louisville come at an additional cost to cover transportation and admission
where necessary.
FOCUS 2025
If you work with a society, library, archive, museum, or other
institution in the genealogy and family history community, you’ll want to join
us on Friday, 23 May for our FOCUS educational sessions. The 2025 event will be
held at the Filson Historical Society and will be a unique experience to help
your organization plan for a successful and sustainable future.
Come Join Us!
While all of the above is more than enough to draw you to
Louisville, you’ll also find a lot of love, hugs, and camaraderie that always dominate
family history conferences. While we may come together as strangers, we leave
as good friends, bonded through our passion for genealogy. As we learn and hone
our skills together, we can preserve our shared story for future generations,
so that they too can be inspired by the lessons our past has to teach us.
Register
today on the NGS Conference website. We can’t wait to see you!
