In the quest to trace our roots and understand our heritage, obituaries often serve as a crucial starting point. Obituaries are undoubtedly a rich source of information for genealogists. They often provide vital details about the deceased, including their full name, date of birth, date of death, and often, the names of their relatives. However, […]
This Week in History – April 15- April 22
From old fires and recent fires to sinking ships and legends being born, this week in history presents us an opportunity to reflect on the events that changed lives all around the world. April seems to be the month that some of the biggest historical events have happened, and this week, in particular, has some […]
History From A Local (Cedar Rapids, IA) Perspective – The Titanic
The sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, is etched in history as one of the most devastating maritime disasters. The tragedy, which claimed over 1,500 lives, sent shockwaves across the globe, making headlines in every corner of the world, with newspapers of all sizes providing extensive coverage of the event. In the […]
This Week in History- April 8- April 14
What do black holes, World War I, and the Iowa Hawkeyes all have in common? The answer is important historical events that happened during this week in the past! Using content from Advantage Archives and their various partners, I have provided a diverse spread of historical events that happened during this week, years ago. Not […]
From Shelves to Screens: Why Libraries are Embracing Community History Archives
The Challenge of Accessing Physical Archives In our fast-paced world, time has become one of the most valuable resources we possess. It is a precious commodity that, once spent, can never be regained. In the context of libraries and institutions housing historical records, time is particularly crucial. The process of searching through physical archives can […]
This Week in History- April 1st – April 7th
From exploring space to civil rights leaders being assassinated, this week in history brought not only memorable tragedies but also local stories that aren’t often talked about. This week not only am I providing you with some fascinating historical information, but also even more in-depth search tips. I learned a lot this week on how […]
This Week in History- March 25 through March 31
This week is full of fascinating and impactful events, including a few of my favorites. With the assistance of Advantage Archives, I was able to dive deeper into these events and learn more about the first-hand reactions and thoughts following their occurrence. Between assassination attempts, fires, and nuclear explosions, this week in history provides a […]
Guest Blog Series: Use Nicknames in Newspaper Research
In many genealogically related documents (especially newspapers and census records), nicknames were frequently used, as those names were more often used than the “formal” given name of the person. Your search index database is not smart enough, for example, to interpret ‘Sadie” for the formal given name of “Sarah”. Thus, you will need to use both names separately in […]
This Week in History: March 18th – March 24th
Sydney Vaughan is a student at the University of Iowa majoring in Communications, and minoring in History. Sydney has previously used the Community History Archives to complete projects for her University level courses, and kindly agreed to write a weekly guest blog for us. She will be covering both the events of “This Week in […]
Guest Blog Series: Find Better Genealogy Results With Abbreviations
Kenneth R. Marks is the founder of The Ancestor Hunt, a comprehensive resource dedicated to assisting individuals in the exploration and discovery of their ancestry and family history. With a passion for genealogy that shines through his meticulous work, Marks has transformed The Ancestor Hunt into a cornerstone for amateur and experienced genealogists. We are […]