Anita Wells
Heritage Travel: To Grandmother’s House We Go(ogle)
1. Ancestral quest: Where to go and what to see in ancestral travel: discovering houses, churches, cemeteries,
museums, and other places that are extant and relevant to both ancestor and self; finding locals to help
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Preliminary research into places and dates from your records: finding juncture locations (births, marriages,
births of children, deaths, travels/immigrations, historical events); identify records needed or already
available (Norway story)
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Google locations, learn history of towns through Wikipedia, FamilySearch locales
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Use Google maps to check distances, proximity to travel plans; Google Earth historical layers
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Research through travel and Pinterest sites: TripAdvisor, TripIt
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Findagrave.com/Billiongraves.com cemetery information
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Discover historic hotels, local foods, antique shops, historical societies, libraries, museums, hours open,
email historians/residents, Facebook second cousins
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Case Studies:
o
Nebraska: Lincoln, Chester, Hardy, Superior: finding 19th century pioneers’-20th century grandpa’s
homes, churches, cemeteries, businesses as well as a new cousin along the way
o
Pennsylvania: finding 18th-19th century German ancestors’ farms, graves, churches, inn, and
understanding ancestors in the Johnstown Flood
2. Organizing research to create a viable trip
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Charts, schedules, Word documents, Excel; ancestral info/bios/photos to bring
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Travel plans, Google maps, Evernote
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Case Study: Denmark: Fjenneslev to Borglum: finding homes, churches, and understanding the land of
19th century immigrant ancestors
3. Sharing this information with those who may want to travel with or follow footsteps later
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Powerpoint presentations at reunions; sharing virtually and via social media (blogger, Instagram,
Facebook); Waterlogue/Brushstroke app to create and frame photos
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Case Study: Lessons learned from Audlem, England compared with New Zealand
4. Insights gained and further research possibilities
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Understanding the land, the motivations, the people better; questions raised for further research
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Case Studies: Wasungen Germany cousins found; Ffestiniog, Wales discoveries, problems, and new
directions