How well do you know your family tree? Does your family have an amateur genealogist who acts as the keeper of family history and stories? Tracing our family lineage has become more popular in recent years with services like 23AndMe and Ancestery.com, but there are a number of free ways to learn about your family history. In honor of the second Saturday in March being Genealogy Day, we’re going to look at places to trace your family history in Washtenaw County.
Local Resources
- Ann Arbor District Library– offers a variety of free resources, including library editions of search software and digitized versions of local newspapers going back as far as the 1930s.
- Chelsea Senior Center– Genealogy Help Group shares ideas and techniques on tracing your family history. The group meets every other month, will meet next on March 15th @ 1:30pm. Call the center for more information.
- Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County– The GSWC usually meets on the fourth Sunday of each month from September to May. Offers a variety of classes and resources on their website.
- Manchester District Library– offers free access to Ancestry.com (must be accessed at the library). Family History guild meets throughout the school year. Call the library or visit their website for more information.
- Milan Area Historical Society– The purpose of the Society is to educate, collect, and preserve data relating to the City of Milan and the surrounding area. The Friend Hack House displays local history, artifacts, and items from Milan families. It is open Sundays, 1pm to 4pm, from May through September.
- Milan District Library– The Milan Public Library has a collection of local history and genealogy materials (books, photographs, newspapers, yearbooks, etc.). Call (734-439-1240) or email ([email protected]) to set up a time to visit in order to assure you will be able to access any materials of interest.
- Northfield Township Area Library– offers free access to Ancestry.com (must be accessed at the library).
- Saline Area Senior Center– offers recurring genealogy club ($1 fee). Bring a computer if you have one. Call the center for more information.
- Offering genealogy talk “Beginning Genealogy” on March 14 from 11:30am-1:00pm ($10 fee).
- Washtenaw County Vital Records– order copies of marriage certificates, death certificates, and other vital records. Some fees may apply.
- Also offers appointments to conduct genealogical research. The recommended hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
- Ypsilanti District Library– offers a variety of genealogy resources, including access to Ancestry.com (must be accessed at the library).
- Genealogy and Family History Bunch- a new informal group for those interested in genealogy and family history. Will meet in person the first Tuesday evening of each month from 7-8 pm. Call the library for more information.
- One-on-One Genealogy Sessions- Sign up for a one-on-one genealogy session with Jean Winborn, co-founder of Washtenaw County African American Genealogy Society. Call the library or visit their website for more information.
- Washtenaw African American Genealogical Society (WAAGS)- meets virtually every third Saturday to helps those interested in African American Genealogy Research. For more information call the library or contact Joy Cichewicz at [email protected].
- Ypsilanti-Michigan Heritage Room– this setting for researching your family includes a study table, two wing-back reading chairs, a computer with internet access, a DVD player, a microfilm reader, and displays of featured collections.
Helpful websites
- A.P. Marshall African American Oral History Project- A collection of interviews of Ypsilanti residents who lived through the Jim Crow era, fought racism during WWII, and led the local Civil Rights movement.
- Chelsea Register of Births and Deaths
- Digital Michigan Newspaper Portal
- Family History Index Online (via Chelsea District Library)
- Family History Research at the Library of Michigan
- Find A Grave
- Washtenaw County Historical Society
- Ypsi History (via YDL)
