Once you've discovered your immigrant ancestor's home country, how will you go about finding documents generated while they were still there, and how will you research his or her parents? Participants in this program will discuss how to use available resources be begin conducting research in foreign countries, including how to locate foreign language genealogy terms and examine online maps that provide contextual information on shifting country boarders. This program is co-sponsored by the Western Michigan Genealogical Society.

Fleshing out the history of women founders of early Grand Rapids medical institutions, Julia Bouwkamp will reveal a pattern where they were pushed from the centers of organizations they had created to the more feminine realm of nursing. Despite their marginalization, these nineteenth-century women exploited limiting ideas about gender to continue the expansion and sophistication of our medical world. This program is co-sponsored by the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council, the Grand Rapids Historical Society, and the Grand Rapids…

Prisoner of War (POW) camps popped up nationwide during World War II, and Michigan had dozens of camps that housed about six thousand German and Italian war prisoners. Men were processed at Fort Custer near Battle Creek, then assigned to 31 smaller camps, most in remote areas of the state. Under the Geneva Convention, prisoners were allowed to volunteer for non war-related work. They picked fruit in Berrien County, harvested sugar beets in the Thumb, cut pulpwood in the Upper…

Many DNA tests now include a breakdown of your overall ethnic ancestry. Yet many people don't get the results they expect. Different companies may show different results for the same person. People also wonder why siblings see different results in the same test, or why Native American ancestry does not always show up as expected. This session will address these issues and more, such as which tests to consider and which to avoid. We will review and compare actual ethnicity…

South Division was once a dirt road that connected Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Over time, it evolved into a thriving corridor important to area businesses and the people of Grand Rapids. Prior to an era with malls and shopping centers, South Division was home to a number of retail businesses, as well as auto deals, lawyers, restaurants, factories, hotels, doctors, and more. In the first of a two-part series, local researcher Ed Pacienca details the story of South Division, including…

Come to the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department for a free after-hours program just for genealogists. Learn how to use the library databases, newspaper microfilm and other resources, and take advantage of free copying and printing during the event. Bring your family history questions or problems—volunteers from the Western Michigan Genealogical Society will be on hand to assist. Network with other genealogists—you never know what you might find. Registration required: www.grpl.org/register or call 616-988-5400.