The Digital Library of Georgia

A great resource for those researching ancestors in Georgia is the Digital Library of Georgia. This is a free resource from GALILEO, which is part of the University System of Georgia. The DLG offers a wide variety of collection in reference to Georgia's history and culture.

The DLG can be searched via keywords or browsed by topic, time period, county, institution, media type, or alphabetically. Some of the collections appear to be links to other sites (such as Georgia Virtual Vault or different universities) and others are hosted at the DLG. Some of the great collections on this site include:

• The African American Funeral Programs
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (previously discussed here)
• Atlanta in the Civil Rights Movement
• Various Newspapers
• Georgia Government Publications
• Mill Workers Oral Histories
• Georgia Ariel Photographs
• Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. 1960-1981 photographs

There are hundreds of collections available via this website. If you have ancestors in Georgia, you're bound to find something of interest here.

A Weekend Link - Vintage Halloween

Halloween's coming up and I'm remembering some of the different Halloween's from my childhood. Feeling nastalgic, I started looking for vintage halloween photos. Check out the 'Vintage Halloween' group on flickr for a selection of photos from throughout the 20th century.

Choosing a Surname

One non-genealogy blog that I follow is The Baby Name Wizard blog, by Laura Wattenburg at BabyNameWizard.com. In a recent series of posts, she's discussed who gets to pick a baby's name. She feels that choosing a baby's name is a very important aspect of the baby's identity and doesn't agree with the argument of "the man gets the surname so the woman should get the first name."

She then goes into detail about how the surname isn't a given anyway. Parents have option on the surname as well. Check it out.

What is "Large"?

I saw a link this morning on Twitter to an article by Tamura Jones about GEDCOM file sizes and what a "large" file is. It's a great article, comparing different genealogy websites and vendors and their definition of a large GEDCOM file. In the end, the author defines a file of 5,000 individuals as small and 25,000 as medium.

I can understand this number in terms of file size and what technology should be able to accomplish. The article really puts into perspective the different capabilities of each site/vendor and the way each one creates their own "large" definition. And the article chastises those who only support smaller file sizes and call them large. Makes a lot of sense.

But, this article got me thinking. I'm curious: how large is the average GEDCOM of a hobbyist researcher? Does the average researcher ever reach "medium" size in their own GEDCOM? It seems so large to me!

Personally, my GEDCOM has 2,430 individuals and is 980KB (using Reunion). I suppose it would be defined as x-small. :)

I have three lines that go back 10 generations, my shortest is only 5, and the average is 8 generations. Lately I've been more concerned with adding supporting research than expanding my tree. I do research collateral lines, though I often stop after two or three generations away from my direct line.

So, to anyone reading this: How big is your GEDCOM and what is your research strategy?

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Top 10 Sites

Another Fun Saturday Night over at the Genea-Musings Blog. This week: Top Ten list of Favorite Genealogy Web Sites.

1. Ancestry.com
2. Footnote.com
3. FindAGrave.com
4. Georgia Virtual Vault
5. GA USGenWeb Archives Project
6. SC Dept. of Archives and History
7. FamilySearch.org
8. GenForum
9. GenealogyBank.com
10. Cyndi's List

A Weekend Link - GWMP Oral History

One part of the Georgia State University Special Collection is their 'Georgia Women's Movement Oral History Project'. This project was brought together by the Women's Studies Institute of GSU and the Special Collections department. It seeks to record and present the personal histories of women involved in the Equal Women's Rights Act in Georgia.

The project's volunteers have conducted oral interviews from these women and has presented them online. You can listen to the interviews or read transcripts. Also included are details on materials and papers held in Special Collections that related to the women who have been interviewed.

This is a great example of how oral histories are important and have a true value for our society.

photos "tear the fabric of space-time itself"

Photojojo.com has a neat idea on how to combine photos, both old and new. Their article shows you how to combine a vintage/antique photo and a specific location today - it's simple and creates a very neat effect. You'll be able to overlap the timeline of your ancestor's lives and your own. Check out some examples.

But many people say: I don't have any old photos of my ancestor's! That's ok, Flickr has the solution. Like the original photographer, take advantage of The Commons on Flickr. This is a collection of photographs from museums and archives from around the world - and they are copyright free!

A Weekend Link - Maps

I love maps, so I like this site. Reinhold Berg Antique maps is a site that sells antique maps. Their website has a large collection of maps from around the world. The maps are organized geographically and then chronologically, so it's easy to find a map of the time and place that you're looking for. You can also zoom in on each map, which is great and something you can't always do at other sites. And, if you've got lots of money, you can even buy the maps.

A Weekend Link - About Scrapbooking & Genealogy

There are a lot of genealogists and a lot of scrapbookers out there. Alissia Crowee of The New Homemaker has written a great article about why the two hobbies should be combined together. She points out that both hobbies are about collecting memories. As many genealogists know, we need to collect and protect these memories while we can. Scrapbooking is a great way to collect, preserve, protect and present the results of our research efforts. I really recommend checking out this article.

Kreative Blogger

I've been awarded the Kreative Blogger award by Kay B and Prof Dru.  Thanks!

Here are the procedures connected with the KreativBlogger Award:

• Copy the award to your site.
  
• Link to the person from whom you received the award.
  
• Nominate other bloggers.
  
• Link to those sites on your blog.
  
• Leave a message on the blogs you nominate.
  

I have added the "KreativBlogger Award" logo to my blog and have placed links to the person who gave me this award in this posting.

Additionally, as a recipient of this award, I am required to nominate other blogs. Below, is a list of my nominations for the “KreativBlogger Award.”

•  Still Digging for Roots
  
•  Rainy Day Genealogy Readings
  
•  Genealogy Tip of the Day
  
•  Ruby Craft
  

A Weekend Link - 18th Century Fashion

Have you ever been reading a historical book or diary in which clothing is described - and you have no idea what certain terms mean? A website that might help you figure it all out is Glossary of 18th Century Costume Terminology.

Created by Sue Felshin, this site explains terms such as kissing strings, chatelaine, round gown, stay hood, and mantle.  Explanations are provided to describe the item and how it's used. After reading through this you'll have a better understanding of the clothing that your 18th century (1700s) ancestors wore. I highly recommend checking this site out.

a Weekend Link - Atlanta Photos

I'm always on the lookout for historic images of the places where my ancestors lived and worked.  One website that I like to browse is Atlanta Time Machine.

This site features historic photos and postcards of Atlanta and often compares then to photos of the same location today.  The site is organized by type, including Downtown, House & Apartments, Commercial Buildings, and Misc.  Many photos also have links to other websites or contemporary maps to help you find information about a particular location.

The site is updated often and is a great way to see what Atlanta was like to our ancestors.