Category Archives: American-history

Following the Paper Trail: National Capital Region

Delaware Historical Society.

In settling the North American continent, the British established their first permanent colony in Virginia. Since then, its population has seen many migrations within and through the colony and then state. Its northern neighbors,..

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Understanding Leaf Hints

Franklin Pierce (1804–1869).

A leaf hint on Ancestry can often lead one to additional records of the person you are researching. Other times, it might lead to interesting “near” matches, while occasionally it may lead you down an entertaining, but wild goose chase..

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Following the Paper Trail: Mid-Atlantic

Ann Cestor at the New York Historical Society.

Many researchers find the Mid-Atlantic region intimidating. However, with so many of our ancestors passing through at some point, it really is worth going through the effort to find resources. The Mid-Atlantic region..

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Archaeological Dig in Boston's Chinatown

Joe Bagley, Boston city archaeologist,     explaining the Chinatown dig.

On a hot morning in July, Thomas Lester, the archivist at the Archdiocese of Boston, and I walked to Chinatown to meet Joe Bagley, the Boston city archaeologist. We wanted to talk to Joe about his..

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Lost Towns of the Quabbin

Atkinson’s Hollow, ca. 1910, Prescott, Mass.

If you live in the Greater Metropolitan area of Boston, your water travels a long way to get to your tap. And your palate thanks you! Boston water has a reputation for being straight from the spigot drinkable. Its origin..

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A Tale of Two Parades

Anders Norander, ca. 1902.

For many of us, Labor Day is synonymous with the last celebration of summer—a time for cookouts, sporting events, and a final day off before the school year begins and autumn arrives. The very existence of the federal holiday (established..

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Richard Mitchell & Co.

The grave of Richard Mitchell Sr. in Nantucket’s Prospect Hill Cemetery, draped with his company's house flag.

One of the many benefits of pursuing genealogy is the chance to meet long-lost family members. In addition to the possibility of finding old photographs,..

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Boston’s African Meeting House

Interior of African Meeting House where Frederick Douglass once spoke.

Nestled in a corner of Beacon Hill is an extraordinary center of history, influence, and revolution. The African Meeting House is known for being the oldest black church building in America, but..

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Where the Partridge Drums

Akwesasne baskets; some by Florence Benedict. Photo by Meaghan E. H. Siekman.

While I was in graduate school, I wrote my dissertation on tribal museums and the ways they share authority with the communities that they serve. I focused my research on the St. Regis..

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My little slice of Irish ancestry

The author's children with relatives in Ireland, 2004.

Although my background is almost all German and English, I’ve always wanted to find a bit of Irish in me. This is because my husband was born in Cork City and after numerous visits I’ve fallen in love with..

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