Subject: DC Suggestions From: ELIZABETH RUSSO Date: February 16, 1999 Top 3 places: 1. NARA -- The Mother of all Records depositories. All your census needs at one stop. Military records for all wars. Confederates, too (I got more here than at the AL Archives). Knowledgeable staff (mostly.) Many volunteer genealogists/historians. GO EARLY. STAY LATE. Avoid going 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. when there likely will be a waiting list. But even at peak times, I waited less time than at my local FHC. Once I got rolling, I was able to pull, view, and copy about 15 census records in one afternoon. TRY TO HAVE DONE YOUR INDEX WORK BEFORE YOU GO. They are missing several volumes of the State Indexes. They have new microfilm copiers that have given me the best copies yet. And if you can't make out a damaged film, you can view original records, but the latter TAKES TIME. Quick food across the street. http://www.nara.gov/ No researcher i.d. required for most records, unless you want to examine original documents. If you do, allow time to complete paperwork. 2. DAR library -- A beautiful library, friendly staff. User-friendly stacks. Books on family histories (largest collection in the US if not the world except perhaps in UT) are arranged alphabetically by last name. State books arranged by region. Check their online catalog before you go. Staff makes the copies while you wait. If you know what you want before you go, you can really maximize time. Open Sunday afternoons. But limited daytime hours. Limited paperwork required for research. Most DAR info now on online searchable databases, so the best value of this facility truly are the books. Food vendors close by (but don't expect much beyond sodas and hot dogs.) http://www.dar.org/library/library.html 3. Library of Congress -- The Mother of all Book Depositories. Divided into Reading Rooms; one for Genealogy/Local History, one for Maps, one for periodicals, etc. Go early to get a photo i.d. which will enable you to request books. Reference books are available without i.d., but they are but a fraction of the holdings. Computer search their catalogs before you go, and take a listing of call numbers, authors, titles, dates. You can only request a limited number of books per hour. while waiting for the books (10 min. - 1 hour wait), peruse and copy from the reference books. Their holdings boggle the mind. Several hundred books on Huguenots, for example (the last thing I researched there.) Cafeteria for visitors, but hours limited. Pricey food nearby. http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/gen_hours.html ALL 3-- Because of limited time, taxi fares are well worth it. The Metro runs close to each of these, but you have to change trains between facilities, and walk a bit. No food or drink allowed in the libraries. Clean restrooms. Security checks. DAR most lenient. Lib. of Congress most strict. Bring cash for copy cards (vending machines). Avoid bringing the new $20 bills. Wear comfortable clothing. I found NARA to be uncomfortably hot in January. Enjoy! Elizabeth DuBois Russo (whose daughter conveniently moved to DC a few months ago...we "visit" as I dash from one place to another -- grabbing a quick bite -- and late at night.... if you time it right, you can be researching from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. most weekdays.) PS--I'm going again in a few days and will let you know of any updates to the above. Last visit a few weeks ago. ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |