For $subst('Recip.EmailAddr') Aug. 5, 2005 Several of you e-mailed to ask for the National Archives' and Records Administration's (NARA) URL after reading the July 21 E-mail Update article on its new Web site. Seems I neglected to include a URL in the article--my apologies! You can see NARA's revamped site at http://archives.gov. (NARA Web pages work with and without an initial www.) Bonus points to you go-getters who found the site by doing a Google search (http://www.google.com) on "National Archives and Records Administration." To read the NARA article, go to http://www.familytreemagazine. com/newsletter/archive.html and click 7/21/05. Most of you found the new site far more attractive and easier to navigate than the former one. One reader offered a suggestion, though: "Having less 'government-ese,' with the text in more familiar layman terms, might be helpful." If you can't find what you're looking for on NARA's site, try going to the main genealogy page and clicking Research Topics for Genealogists on the left side. You'll see a list of record groups and ethnic backgrounds, each linking to an in-depth page with research guides, NARA resources and links. —Diane Haddad, Newsletter Editor ftmnews-editor@fwpubs.com P.S. Make sure you don't miss a single issue of your E-mail Update! Add our address (familytree-newsletter@fwpubs.com) to your email-address book—your software will recognize the Update as an e-mail you want to read. Not-So-Secret Garden News From the Front Conference Call AncestorNews: Cut Computer Clutter Tip of the Week: List Assist Worthwhile Web Sites Identifying Family Photographs: Checks and Balances Speakers' Schedule Advertiser Special Offers Not-So-Secret Garden Used to be, if you wanted to find ancestors who immigrated through Castle Garden--New York's primary emigrant landing depot from 1855 to 1890--you had to crank through reels of unindexed microfilm or buy a subscription to Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). Now you can go to http://castlegarden.org and search a free online database of New York passenger lists from 1830 through 1913. The Battery Conservancy (http://www.thebattery.org), an organization to restore Manhattan's Battery Park, launched the 10 million-name database Monday. Besides Castle Garden immigrants, says Conservancy program associate David Bromwich, it includes passengers who were dropped off at the Battery before Castle Garden opened and 2,000 Ellis Island immigrants who aren't in the database at http://www.ellisisland.org. (Ellis Island opened in 1892.) CastleGarden.org transcription project leader Ira Glazier expects to add 2 million more immigrants to the site's compilation. CastleGarden.org's free Quick Search lets you look for a first and last name and arrival date range. You can narrow your results by choosing a place of origin, occupation and ship. The search returns only exact matches, so you'll need to try spelling variations on your ancestor's name. If you're not sure of the first name, leave that field blank to see everyone with the surname you're looking for. Results show name, occupation, age, sex, arrival and ship's name. Webmasters hope to enhance the database with Soundex searching—which would catch similar-sounding surnames— and images of the original passenger lists. For $45, you can submit an Advanced Search request, which lets you select variables for sex, age, ship, port of departure, country of origin, occupation and destination—without specifying a name. Although the site recommends this search for scholars and genealogists, the Quick Search will do in most cases. If you're prepared to pay, it might be a better value to buy a $79.95 subscription to Ancestry.com's US Immigration Collection, which includes images from microfilm of the original passenger manifests. Follow the site's Timeline link for a trip through Castle Garden's illustrious history starting as a military fort called the Southwest Battery. It was reincarnated as a prestigious performing arts venue, the immigrant processing station and an aquarium before being designated a national monument bearing its 1817 name, Castle Clinton. For more ways to find Castle Garden passengers, see the August 2005 Family Tree Magazine. Once you surfed CastleGarden.org, drop an e-mail to ftmnews-editor@fwpubs.com and let us know what you think of the site. News From the Front Chances are you have an ancestor who served in the military. Two recent developments could help you uncover information about him or her: Genealogy Today has launched Military Roots (http://www. militaryroots.com), a free database of information transcribed from sources such as military rosters, muster rolls and troop histories. The database started with several thousand names; new ones are added every week. You can search for surnames and opt to be notified if they're mentioned in records added later. Registration is required to read the full transcription. (On the results page, you'll see a $ next to matches; but if you click the Subscribe link, the fee is listed as "Free") Each match shows a citation so you can consult the original source. The National Archives' and Records Administration National Personnel Records Center (NPRC; http://archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel), the St. Louis facility that holds post-1912 military service records, has opened nearly 1.2 million military personnel files of enlisted US Navy and Marine Corps members who served between 1885 and Sept. 8, 1939. NARA gets custody of service records 62 years after the service member's separation from the military. Learn more about researching military ancestors in the October 2005 Family Tree Magazine, available Aug. 23 on newsstands and at http://www.familytreemagazine.com. Conference Call This year's Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) annual conference, Sept. 7-10 at Salt Lake City's Salt Palace Convention Center, gives you extra reason to visit the home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Family History Library (FHL; http://www.familysearch.org). You can get tips in classes on tax records, family health history, research organization and more; visit more than 150 genealogical exhibitors; and take advantage of the nearby FHL's extended research hours. Registration costs $189 for all four days or $95 per day. Call (888) 347-1500 or visit http://www.fgs.org/2005conf/FGS-2005.htm for details. If you go to the FGS conference, be sure to visit the Family Tree Magazine booth. Watch for details on our special conference promotions in future editions of the Family Tree Magazine E-mail Update. Cut Computer Clutter A newsletter reader wrote me asking, "I'd love to see an article on ways to organize all the family genealogy folders on my computer. I have e-mails, digital books, photographs, vital records and more. I'm looking for a common system to apply to all families I research. Do you have any suggestions?" Yes, I do. Continue reading at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/ancestornews/current.html. Nancy Hendrickson is the author of Finding Your Roots Online, on sale now at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/store/display.asp?id=70583. Browse past AncestorNews columns at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/ancestornews/previous.html. List Assist This week's tip comes from Lynn Klein: Join as many relevant mailing lists as possible, minimally a surname list for each of your major surnames and lists for places where relatives predominately lived. Post your interests periodically (be sure to follow list rules) and join in the conversation even if you don't think you have anything solid to contribute. Who knows—you may connect with a current or future subscriber. Search the list's archives before posting a query to see whether it's already been answered. If it hasn't, don't be afraid to ask. You'll probably find your fellow family historians are eager to help. Do you have a great idea for discovering, preserving or celebrating family history? E-mail us your tip at ftmnews-editor@fwpubs.com with "TIP OF THE WEEK" in the subject line. If we publish it, you'll win a free copy of the September 2005 Sourcebook, a special issue of Family Tree Magazine. It's available for purchase online at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/mags/display.asp?id=1699. Overwhelmed by the number of family history-related Web sites popping up? FamilyTreeMagazine.com sorts through them all—whew!—to bring you only the very best. We recently recommended the following as Sites of the Week: • Carolina Histories http://www.msnusers.com/carolinahistories Use the message boards to drop a surname or answer queries and browse the Image Library for photographs, antique prints, maps, engravings and vintage postcards. • American Memory Wise Guide http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide Get a fun introduction to the immense digitized collections in the Library of Congress' American Memory Web site. Stop back—the articles change monthly. • Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer http://www.stuhrmuseum.org This Web site for a living history museum has tons of information, pictures, a research section, games for kids and more. • American Jewish Historical Society Archives: Finding Aids http://www.cjh.org/academic/findingaids/AJHS/institutionlist.html Learn how to use the American Jewish Historical Society's numerous databases and other resources. Checks and Balances Expert photo historian Maureen A. Taylor helps readers analyze old family pictures in her Web-exclusive column Identifying Family Photographs. This week, she gives you a checklist of photo clues—and steps to discover what they mean. http://www.familytreemagazine.com/photos/current.htm If you have a family photo mystery for Taylor to solve, check out our Submission Guidelines at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/photos/photohelp.htm. Cincinnati, Ohio Tony Burroughs Aug. 27 History and Genealogy Presentations Topics: Locating Sleepy Hollow: Or Anywhere Else Your Ancestor Lived Voices of Freedom: African American Soldiers in the Civil War For more information, go to http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org or call (513) 369-6905. Salt Lake City Sept. 6-10 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference Sharon DeBartolo Carmack Topics: Understanding Publishing Contracts Before You Publish: What Every Genealogists Needs to Know About Copyright Interpreting American Tombstone Art and Symbols Primetime's 20/20 Dateline: Sharon Carmack Interviews the World's Oldest Living Genealogist, Ole Smirnoff Bernatelli (Utah Genealogical Society Luncheon, with James W. Warren) James W. Warren Topics: Ancestors Hanging on Your Family Tree: Using Court and Institutional Records The Most Priceless Heritage: Practical Family Health History Strategies for Researching Your Localities For more information, go to http://www.fgs.org. UNIQUE SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE TOURS Visit ancestral villages, parish churches, archives, connect with family.  Fluent guides and genealogy experts included.  www.scandgen.com RootsMagic Genealogy Software - "An excellent choice for any genealogist" says Family Tree Magazine. Get a free trial copy at http://www.RootsMagic.com Save time and money!  Make your own family cookbook, reunion book, memorial programs, wedding stationery & more.  http://family-heritage-templates.com?familytree PUBLISH YOUR FAMILY HISTORY. Preserve and share your precious family research. Personal coaching. Many options.  www.GatewayPress.com Get Family Tree Magazine back issues at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/mags. Explore Family Tree Magazine E-mail Update past issues at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/newsletter/archive.html. Get free Family Tree News Service articles for your genealogy newsletter or Web site at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/ftns-subscribe.asp. Sponsor This Newsletter For information on sponsoring this newsletter or to receive a rate card, e-mail kworkman@longshoremedia.com You have received this e-mail because you expressed interest in receiving updates about genealogy and genealogy products from Family Tree Magazine and Betterway Books by e-mail. Thanks for your subscription! You are currently subscribed as $subst('Recip.EmailAddr') To unsubscribe, send a blank message to $subst('email.unsub') To change the address we send messages to, click here: http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/read/my_account/?forum=familytree To receive the text-only version of the newsletter, unsubscribe using the directions above, then subscribe to the text-only list by sending a blank email to join-familytree-text@fwpubs.sparklist.com. Questions? 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