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Tracing Your Family Roots |
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Not everyone has a close relative who is a family history buff, but just about anyone can figure out where their people come from and use that knowledge to enjoy family roots travel, whether that means simply taking the kids to see the hometown where your parents or grandparents lived, or going a bit farther down the branches of the family tree. These trips can be greatly enhanced by using local genealogical and historical resources to try to forge personal connections to your ancestors. The detective
aspect is what many people find so compelling about family history.
Before your trip or in conjunction with your trip, interview older or
distant relatives about their backgrounds and knowledge of their
grandparents. Their files and attics are often a source for memorabilia
that constitutes the raw material of genealogy - various newspaper
clippings, old photos, letters, legal documents, and diaries - as well as
the lore that makes travel destinations tell a personal story. The experience of
finding ancestors logically suggests sight-seeing possibilities,
such as walking tours, museums and festivals that relate to your legacy.
Also check a timeline to help frame and focus a search. In much of the
country, Revolutionary and Civil War reenactments provide another window
into dramatic historical events. Staying at historic hotels and inns is
another enjoyable way to connect to the ancestral experience. It's a
great way to teach your children history without boring them to death.
Suggested prime repositories of family history: Other helpful genealogical websites: |
