GFO Open House

2024 Open House: March 16-24

Join us for 20 free classes online and 3 free classes in-person!
The research room will be open every day throughout the event
Library tours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons
Beginning research help is every afternoon in the GFO Library - contact info@gfo.org to schedule.

All Open House events are free - a great chance to see what GFO is all about!

Please invite your friends.

CLASSES PRESENTED ONLINE || ACTIVITIES AT THE GFO LIBRARY

Online classes require advance registration -- click the "Register" links below. You will receive a separate confirmation email with the link to join for each class you desire.

Viewing parties will be available at the GFO Library for all online classes scheduled from March 17th through the 24th. Online and in-person hybrid meetings will take place on Friday, March 22nd at 4:00 p.m. PT; On Saturday, March 23rd at 3:00 p.m. PT; and on Sunday, March 24th at 10:00 a.m. PT. Registration is required for the online portion of these hybrid meetings.

Presentations will not be recorded unless indicated otherwise when you register.

!!! Please note that all class times are Pacific Time. !!!

Please click here to get our flyer and share it with your friends and other genealogical organizations.

Online Classes

Saturday - March 16, 2024

12:00pm to 1:30pm

African American Special Interest Group
Janice Sellers
GFO’s African American SIG meets monthly to focus on the unique challenges of researching Black ancestors and the data sets that are even now emerging, especially for the 19th century. Join us for a look at this specialized area of research.

Sunday - March 17, 2024

1:00pm to 2:30pm	RootsMagic, the Swiss Army Knife of Personal Genealogy Software Barry Wolff Do you prefer to record your data on your computer and then decide what to put online? Or, do you prefer to work online and keep a copy on your computer? Would you like to manage hints from all 4 major online sites in one place? In this session you will learn what RootsMagic can do to help you via a features overview, live software demonstration and open Q&A. One attendee will be awarded a RootsMagic 9 software license (a $39.99 value). Door prize supplied by RootsMagic, Inc.	Register Here No Handout
4:00pm to 5:00pm	Getting Started with Family Tree Maker Johnna Waldon Join the Family Tree Maker SIG for an overview of the FTM software. We will look at how to start building a tree, the People Tab, Places Tab, and the Web Search Tab. Email Johnna at ftm@gfo.org if you have any questions.	Register Here No Handout

Monday - March 18, 2024

10:00am to 11:00am	Germans in America Jalyse Ortiz Nearly 6 million Germans immigrated to the U.S. by WWI, making this a key ethnicity. Learn about the history of German immigration to the United States, German communities in the US, German newspapers, German Historical Societies, and German church records in America.	Register Here No Handout
1:00pm to 2:30pm	Lineage Society Panel Sons & Daughters of Oregon Pioneers (SDOP) --- Chris Meinicke Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) --- David Witter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) --- Nedra Brill Moderated by Dawn Carlile. Have you ever wondered what documentation you need to join one of the major lineage societies? We have the privilege of hosting a panel of three experts representing three different lineage societies. Learn the basics of documenting your ancestry and the process to find the data and how to solicit help.	Register Here No Handout
4:00 to 5:00pm	Using the FamilySearch Catalog Janalee McBride As one of the most useful tools in family history research, the FamilySearch Catalog is extremely valuable. Come learn about some tips and tricks to using the FamilySearch Catalog to help in your family history research.	Register Here No Handout

Tuesday - March 19, 2024

10:00am to 11:00am	Find a Grave: Fabulous and/or Frustrating? Laurel Smith Learn about the world’s largest (virtual) graveyard, with more than 226 million memorials around the world. Whether you are a site viewer, contributor, or memorial manager, you’re sure to learn something new during this live demonstration of Find a Grave that will have you leave saying, “fabulous!” Please send your most important questions a few days (or more) before the presentation to findagrave@gfo.org.	Register Here No Handout
1:00pm to 2:00pm New Date and Time	Records and Research in New York State, 18th-19th Centuries: Looking Beyond Vital Records Amy Rose Ward How do you research a family when vital records do not exist? This presentation will go beyond the conventional focus on vital records by exploring other types of documentation that exist for New York State. Come discover effective strategies and hidden gems that hold the key to tracing your ancestors.	Register Here No Handout

Wednesday - March 20, 2024

10:00am to 12:00pm	Military Bounty Land: 1776-1855 Judi Scott Bounty land was awarded by governments as an incentive to encourage enlistment and as a reward for that service. In this session we will discuss bounty land grants from the colonial era through the Indian Wars in the 19th century. Topics will include eligibility for both state and federal bounty land, the process to obtain the land, and where it was located. Most importantly, we’ll look at how the records help with our genealogy research, and how to access them.	Register Here No Handout
1:00pm to 3:00pm	Getting Started with AncestryDNA Lisa McCullough Did you receive an AncestryDNA kit as a holiday gift and don’t know how to interpret your results? If so, this session will help you learn how to navigate the AncestryDNA portion of the Ancestry website and what to do next to get the most from your gift. The presentation will also expose you to some of the tools offered at other DNA testing companies that AncestryDNA does not offer.	Register Here No Handout
6:00pm to 7:00pm	Getting Started with Latin American Research Maren Burgess This class will focus on basic research methodologies, key record types, and useful resources fundamental to Latin American research.	Register Here No Handout

Thursday - March 21, 2024

10:00am to 11:00am	Finding German Church Records at Archion and Matricula Gina Palmer Church records are a key resource when conducting German research. Find out how to access parish records from Germany (and some other parts of Europe) using two key online databases.	Register Here No Handout
1:00pm to 2:00pm	Following Your Ancestor Through Swedish Church Records Colette Hokanson Following your Swedish ancestor is easier than you think! This class will introduce you to tools and skills that will help you trace your family back generations.	Register Here No Handout
4:00pm to 5:00pm	English Civil Records Lori Montague This class is an introduction to England Civil Registration records with an emphasis on how to access the GRO Index and search strategies for effective research.	Register Here No Handout

Friday - March 22, 2024

1:00pm to 2:00pm	Introduction to the Great Lakes Special Interest Group Kim Thurman The Great Lakes region has a rich ethnic and political history, providing a gateway to Western migration for many of our New England ancestors. Join us to learn about the Great Lakes Interest Group and how our collaborative discussions may help with your personal research.	Register Here No Handout
4:00pm to 5:00pm Presented from the GFO Library	Learning about Enslaved Individuals from Genealogical Records: Research for the 10 Million Names Project Chris Knutson In 2023, American Ancestors launched the 10 Million Names Project, a collaborative project that seeks to gather as much information as possible about the estimated 10 million enslaved African and African American individuals who lived in what is now the United States up through 1865. In this presentation, GFO member Chris Knutson will discuss the 10 Million Names Project, his own experience in identifying enslaved individuals through genealogical research, and some of the types of records that others who are researching enslaved individuals might find useful.	Register Here No Handout

Saturday - March 23, 2024

10:00am to 11:00am	Genealogy Problem Solvers Special Interest Group Brick Wall Team The GPS Special Interest Group is a monthly support group where we help each other tackle brick-wall problems. This session will introduce the group, focus on the process of developing a research plan, and discuss how to submit your own "brick wall" problem.	Register Here No Handout
1:00pm to 2:00pm	Introduction to British Records, and Where to Find Them Duane Funk Learn what genealogical records are available in the United Kingdom, what repositories there are, and how to go about accessing them. Hint: don't try to do research on the same weekend as a coronation.	Register Here No Handout
3:00pm to 4:00pm Presented from the GFO Library	Discover the History of Your House Mike Schmeer "What Can You Tell Me About My House's History" is the most frequently asked question received by the Oak Lodge History Detectives (OLHD). With well over 1,000 homes in the Oak Lodge area the answer is generally "not much". Our best advice is for curious homeowners to learn how to do it themselves and enjoy the discovery, using many available tools.	Register Here No Handout

Sunday - March 24, 2024

11:00am to 1:30pm Presented from the GFO Library

Access to GFO Resources from Home
Laurel Smith
Learn about the abundant resources the GFO provides for everyone researching their family history: A library with more than 60,000 holdings, 1.5 million digitized pages, an online library catalog, a robust website with indexes and links, and the members-only destination known as MemberSpace.

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Activities at the GFO Library