Open House 2025

10:00am to 5:00pm

GFO Library Open for Research 

10:00am to 11:00am

Introducing the GFO 
Laurel Smith, Library Director 
Learn about the Genealogical Forum of Oregon and the largest library devoted to genealogy in the Pacific Northwest. Spoiler: We’re not just about Oregon!

Register Here 

No Handout

12:00pm to 1:00pm

Tour of the Library 

Onsite, no registration required

1:00pm to 2:30pm

Using Family Tree Maker 
Johnna Waldon, SIG Leader 
The Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIG) is an online support group for using the FTM software. We will look at how to start building a tree, the People Tab, Places Tab, and the Web Search Tab.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm to 4:00pm

Jewish Genealogy: How is This Research Different? 
Janice Sellers 
This class provides an overview of the unique aspects of Jewish culture and history that affect family history research. Topics include history, geography, naming patterns, languages and alphabets, rabbinical genealogies, kehillah records, Yizkor books, cemeteries, and other resources.

Register Here 

No Handout

5:00pm to 7:00pm

Genealogy Quick Start 
Geoff Smith 
For those interested in family research but who haven’t quite started. This class shows you how to take the very first steps, including starting with free online searches.

Register Here 

No Handout

10:00am to 5:00pm

GFO Library Open for Research 

10:00am to 11:30am

Koffee Klatch 
April Ober 
Join us for a virtual cuppa to start your week of genealogy! Open-ended discussion! Ask for advice on your next step or just share your discoveries with a few experienced researchers.

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Find a Grave: Fabulous or Frustrating? 
Laurel Smith 
Learn about this under-appreciated resource and join us for a live demonstration of Find a Grave. Submit your questions to findagrave@gfo.org by Wed., March 19, 2025, and Laurel will include answers in the presentation and her handout.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm

Tour and Overview of Books, Microfilms, and Other Resources in the Library 
The place to go to get started or when you exhaust online sources!

Onsite, no registration required

10:00am to 5:00pm

GFO Library Open for Research 

10:00am to 11:00am

Research Resources at the Gresham Historical Society 
Silvie Andrews, Museum Director 
The Gresham Historical Society includes a museum and archive in the heart of Downtown Gresham. Within its walls lies a rich trove of resources including personal papers, manuscripts, property records, oral histories, business records, and historic photos, many of which have yet to be explored by researchers. In this session, learn about the collections at the Gresham Historical Society and how to use them in your own research

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 1:45pm

Genealogical Gold in the GFO Catalog 
Laurel Smith, Library Director 
Get tips for searching the online catalog and learn what’s available to you, wherever you live.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm to 4:00pm

Finding Enslaved Individuals in Historic Public Records 
Chris Knutson 
Learn about records that may be useful to identify enslaved individuals through genealogical research. The presentation will focus on historic records that are available online and in public archives, and touch on the 10 Million Names Project to which the presenter made a modest contribution.

Register Here 

No Handout

6:00pm to 7:00pm

Eastern European Genealogy for Beginners 
Alexander Tolksdorf 
This presentation will focus on providing the beginner the basic background information to start investigating their ancestors across Eastern Europe. It will focus on early modern to modern history of Eastern Europe, major record sets and repositories available by country, and US and European research strategies to maximize success.

Register Here 

No Handout

10:00am to 5:00pm

GFO Library Open for Research 

10:00am to 11:00am

Amazing Resources 
Laurel Smith, Library Director 
The GFO website is filled with content that is available to everyone. Learn about the gems and how the GFO supports researchers both locally and from afar.

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Discover the Portland City Archives 
Devin Busby, Outreach Archivist 
Learn about the Portland City Archives, the materials we have in our collections, who uses the materials, and the services we provide. I will focus on popular research topics and the process of accessing our materials online and in person.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm to 4:00pm

Writing Stories Your Relatives Will Read 
Pam Vestal, Generations Genealogy LLC 
With good research, thoughtful planning, and a dash of ingenuity, we can create engaging stories designed to entice even the most reluctant readers. Turn fish eggs into caviar; the way you tell the story makes all the difference!

Register Here 

No Handout

10:00am to 11:30pm

RootsMagic - Level 101: Overview & Basics 
Barry Wolff, SIG Leader 
Learn the basics of using RootsMagic, a very popular program to organize your genealogy. Live demonstration will cover how to start building a family tree from scratch, and all the basic functionality for new users and those just looking.

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 3:00pm

Scanning Workshop 
Geoff Smith, Technology Committee 
Learn how to use the three major types of scanners, all available at the library, and how to choose the best one for your project. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own materials to scan. Sign-up will be available for scanning later in the day or week.

Onsite, no registration required 

No Handout

3:00pm

Tour and Overview of Books, Microfilms, and Other Resources in the Library 
The place to go to get started or when you exhaust online sources!

Onsite, no registration required

10:00am to 5:00pm

GFO Library Open for Research 

10:00am to 10:45am

GFO's MemberSpace 
Laurel Smith, Library Director 
Get a glimpse behind the curtain to learn what the GFO offers its members through MemberSpace, the members-only portion of the website.

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Unexpected Sources for Oregon Ancestors 
Janet Weber, Genealogical Society of Washington County Oregon 
There are many resources in Oregon that are overlooked in genealogical research. Learn about some surprising places to research that the presenter has discovered to find biographical and occupational details in researching her ancestors.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm to 4:15pm

Finding Patients: Using Acrhival Research to Identify the Oregon Hospital for the Insane Burial Ground 
C. Knutson, A. Donovan-Boyd, J. Olander 
In 2022, three archaeologists located the long-forgotten burial grounds for the OHI at the Lone Fir Cemetery. Hear this story and a discussion of the records and methods they used to uncover a slice of 19th-century history.

Register Here 

No Handout

4:30pm to 6:00pm

Happy Hour 
April Ober 
Wind down from the week’s presentations! Open discussion with fellow researchers.

Register Here 

No Handout (use a cocktail napkin)

10:00am to 11:00am

Researching Your Virginia Roots 
Judi Scott, SIG Leader 
The Virginia Special Interest Group focuses on sharing tips for research on families from Virginia. Resources include GFO whose libary has a surprisingly strong Virginia section. Learn how to approach research when sources are diffuse.

Register Here 

No Handout

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Volunteering at Home 
Laurel Smith 
The GFO could never offer so much if we didn’t have volunteers helping us in the library and at home. Learn how you can get involved! This is also an opportunity to find out if there’s a project that inspires you to lend a hand.

Register Here 

No Handout

3:00pm

Tour and Overview of the Resources Available in the Library 
The place to go to get started or when you exhaust online sources!

Onsite, no registration required