SCGS Blog

Linda Winters recalls her ancestors, the Wamplers, of Johnson County, MO, who were Dunkards

Do you want to serve on the SCGS Board of Directors for 2027? You may be just who we're looking for!

Several reports have come out since late June about plans to close National Archives facilities in San Bruno, California, and Chicago, with records to be consolidated and relocated elsewhere. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has announced plans to close the National Archives at San Francisco, located in San Bruno, within the next few years. These regional archival research facilities house records essential to genealogists, historians, and the communiti

Curious about WikiTree? SCGS's new group, WikiTreers, encourages you to dig deeper, the second Tuesday of each month, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Come to the SCGS Library in Burbank for a hybrid meeting on Saturday, August 1, as GSHA-SC hosts Jose Antonio Esquibel. The esteemed genealogist will present "Encomendero Families." The meeting starts at 10 a.m. PT.

Why didn't our ancestors smile in old family photos? Learn the historical reasons behind solemn portraits and what they tell genealogists today.

SCGS President Louise Ratliff reviews a busy spring and the society's quest for a new home.

Late SCGS member Jane Van Tour posthumously received the NGS Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism at the 2026 NGS conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Here's how to subscribe and what to check if notifications aren't reaching your inbox We recently heard from a few readers who didn't receive email notifications of a new SCGS blog post. While blog notifications are sent automatically to subscribers, there are several reasons they may not reach every inbox every time. If you'd like to receive notifications when new posts are published, be sure you're subscribed through the SCGS website. If you're subscribed but aren't receivi

Celebrate America250 by preserving photos, researching family stories, and exploring your family's roots.

Catherine Romero recalls a favorite aunt who attended the New Mexico Institute for the Blind.

A look at how baby names reflect changing identity, culture, and family history.

A simple way to preserve family history by labeling and identifying people in old photographs Meet Jewel (a.k.a. Momoo) My paternal grandmother’s name was Jewel, and she had a few quirks that really bugged my mother—her daughter-in-law—who was the only child of a military officer father and a strict, proper German mother. When my older brother was 3 or so, he started calling Grandma Jewel “Momoo,” a variation of the ever-popular “Meemaw.” My mother was irritated that Momoo oc

The National Genealogical Society brings its Family History Conference to Fort Wayne from May 27 to 30 this year. The theme is “America at 250,” and the location is no accident. Fort Wayne is home to the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, the second-largest genealogy library in the country after the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. If you’re a genealogist and you’ve been meaning to make a pilgrimage, this is your year. Here’s what to know if you’re re

Celebrate Mother’s Day with meaningful gift ideas for genealogy lovers—from DNA kits and family history journals to a $40 annual membership in the Southern California Genealogical Society. Discover thoughtful ways to preserve family stories and honor maternal ancestors.

Adrian revisits family reunions in North Carolina.

The "best" of RootsTech 2026 is Now Available on Demand

The World Turned Topsy-Turvy During the late Middle Ages, particularly in France, though the tradition spread across Europe, communities observed a festival that church authorities spent decades trying to suppress. It was called the Feast of Fools. It originally began as a week of festivities around the New Year. But, before the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1582, the new year began on March 25. On 1 April 1698, several people were punked into going to the Tower o

Finding My Research Home Detailed map of Ohio, 1895. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Public domain. Accessed February 25, 2026. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Detailed_map_of_Ohio_in_1895.jpg . Whenever I’m asked about my area of expertise in genealogy, I answer, “Ohio and West Virginia,” where my mother’s family and my father’s family, respectively, settled in the early 1800s. Because of the time I’ve spent working with localized records, it's become easier to fin