SF History Days: History Comes Alive

What do you get when you combine period costumes, an historic building and enthusiastic organizations devoted to history?  Fun with a purpose!

What is SF History Days?  

From the SF History Days website, "...Join dozens of organizations celebrating and telling the stories of the City's unique past. Community historians, archivists, genealogists, archaeologists, researchers, educators, re-enactors and other history enthusiasts will enjoy a Free Community Open House on Saturday (March 4th) and Sunday (March 5th) at the historic site."

By the time I arrived, around noon on Saturday, the place was humming with people and excitement.  As you'll see from the photos, there were a cast of characters who love re-enacting the past and sharing their knowledge of the past.

Emperor Norton lives again!

How were we involved?

We had quite a few members who came to either speak or support the event on Saturday. Linda Okazaki, our President, Janice Sellers, Editor of The California Nugget, and Ron Filion of SFgenealogy presented "There is No History without Family History" to a large and engaged crowd.  Many questions were asked by the audience and quite a few stuck around at the end to get more detailed responses from Linda, Janice and Ron.  Rich Kehoe was also on-hand to enjoy the discussion. 

Janice Sellers

Linda Okazaki

A big thanks goes to Sandra Britt-Huber.  Sandra led our booth effort and was instrumental in getting us space for this year's event. She and her volunteers came up with creative ways to display all of our interesting historical artifacts.

What else was happening? 

A little gambling

Amazing gold ore stamping mill in the lower level.
Once used to stamp U.S. coins.

Shannon Reese hanging out with Adolph Sutro.
Thank you Sutro Library.

Thank you to all of our volunteers and supporters that attended the event.

Copyright © 2017 by California Genealogical Society

Ready for a Genealogy Party?

by Janice Sellers

Image courtesy of Janice Sellers

Are you familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society?  It's one of the great genealogical societies in the Bay Area.  It has an upcoming indexing project that will help genealogists researching their San Francisco ancestors, and you can be part of it.

San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society

Jewish Records Indexing Party

Sunday, February 19, 2017, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

Oakland FamilySearch Library

4766 Lincoln Avenue

Oakland, CA 94602

Pay it forward, fellow genealogists! If you've ever enjoyed finding records easily by using a search form on JewishGen, FamilySearch, Ancestry, or many other genealogy sites, you have been a beneficiary of indexing. Indexing is the result of volunteers reading images of old records and typing the information into a searchable format.  You know how FamilySeach has an annual worldwide indexing event to make a big push on transcribing their online records?  We're doing the same kind of thing, but on a smaller scale.

The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society has taken on the task of creating an index for the old burial records from San Francisco's Sherith Israel synagogue for the 1850s through 1906. We expect that these records will uncover currently unknown death dates for this period, one that is notoriously difficult to research due to record destruction after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. So we need REAL PEOPLE to read the records and type the information into Excel spreadsheets.

We will provide the snacks, computers, and instruction on this valuable and essential service. The records are handwritten, but we'll help you learn how to read them. If you can't stay for the whole afternoon, we will be happy to have you for as long as you can help. We will be giving out prizes for most records entered, longest time spent working, and a few more categories we have yet to think of. Don't miss this opportunity to make burial records accessible to genealogists around the world! The ancestors you find may be your own!

We would like to have an idea of how many people will be coming (so we can buy the right amount of food!), so please send a message to vicepresident@sfbajgs.org to let us know that you'll be there.

Copyright © 2017 by California Genealogical Society

Angel Island Family History Day: Tour the Ellis Island of the West

Saturday, October 5, 2013
11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Angel Island Immigration Station
Angel Island State Park
San Francisco Bay

The California Genealogical Society is partnering with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society to present Angel Island Family History Day on Saturday, October 5, 2013, at the restored Immigration Station at Angel Island State Park. The event will feature lectures, genealogy resource tables, and free viewing of the Immigration Barracks.

“Angel Island played a crucial role in the family histories of many Bay Area residents,” says Grant Din, Director of Special Projects at the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. “Close to one million immigrants were processed at Angel Island between 1910 and 1940, and hundreds of thousands were held at the Angel Island detention center for days, weeks, or months. The Immigration Station is best known for the Chinese poems that were carved in the barracks walls. It housed people from over 80 countries as they sought new lives in the United States."

The open house at the Immigration Barracks will give visitors a glimpse into the daily life of newcomers from Japan, Korea, Russia, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and Jewish refugees escaping the Holocaust.

Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay, east of the Golden Gate Bridge, and is accessible by ferry from Oakland, Alameda, Vallejo, Tiburon and San Francisco. The state park entry fee is included in the ferry ticket rate. Please make your own transportation arrangements by purchasing tickets online. Be sure to verify departure points and weekend ferry schedules. Take the first ferries in order to get the most out of your day on the island and to arrive in time for the programs.

Angel Island Immigration Station

The U.S. Immigration Station is a pleasant one-mile walk from the ferry dock at Ayala Cove that starts with a climb of about 140 steps to the main road. For those who do not wish to walk, Angel Island Company provides shuttle service from Ayala Cove to Immigration Station. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased online in advance. The shuttle service departs from the from the The Angel Island Café at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Shuttle tickets include return service to Ayala Cove. For more information on shuttle service, please contact the Angel Island Café at (415) 435-3392.

Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch to the Island. Picnic tables are located near the Immigration Station. Alternatively, boxed lunches are available for advanced purchase online. Pick up will be located at the Angel Island Cafe in Ayala Cove. You must bring a printed copy of your confirmation email in order to receive your lunch.

To avoid lines, please purchase shuttle tickets and lunches in advance using the online services of the Angel Island Company.

There is no advanced registration or fee for this event. Island admission is included in the ferry ticket price. Participants are responsible for arranging ferry transportation. Advanced purchase of optional lunch or shuttle service is strongly recommended to avoid long lines. There is no food service available at the Immigration Station. 

For photos, maps, and more information about the island, be sure to visit the Island Insights: The Angel Island Blog.

The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) is the nonprofit partner of California State Parks and the National Park Service in the effort to preserve, restore and interpret the historic immigration station located in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

The California Genealogical Society (CGS) founded in San Francisco in 1898, maintains a library, gathers and preserves vital records, and offers research services and online databases. CGS disseminates information through publications, meetings, seminars, workshops and its website, CaliforniaAncestors.org.

The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development, preservation and distribution of Jewish genealogical knowledge and material, and the sharing of techniques and tools with others who may be researching their Jewish roots.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Obscure Records of U.S. Citizenship and Nationality – a Free Lecture by Marian Smith

Bay Area genealogists who are unable to attend this year's National Genealogical Society Annual Conference in Las Vegas and will miss Opening Session will still have the opportunity to hear Marian L. Smith, chief of the historical research branch of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Member Margery Bell sent this notice:

The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society and the Oakland FamilySearch Library are pleased to present a free lecture by Marian L. Smith, Senior Historian of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Monday, May 6, 2013
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Oakland FamilySearch Library
4766 Lincoln Ave. LL
Oakland, CA 95602

This presentation will focus on lesser-known federal records of derived citizenship, repatriation, and correspondence covering a variety of citizenship-related problems and topics. While the records discussed were created after 1906, some involve events that occurred years or decades before. In addition to case studies and examples, the presentation will provide guidance for researching the records at either USCIS or the National Archives.

The doors will open at 12:20 p.m. for those pre-registered with tickets. Space permitting, walk-ins will be allowed at 12:50 p.m.

To pre-register, Email the Oakland FamilySearch Library with "REGISTER" in the subject line.

Marian L. Smith is the Senior Historian of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly INS). Her research focus primarily involves official immigration agency records held in the National Archives in downtown Washington, DC, and her articles appear in the National Archives journal Prologue, the FGS Forum, and other publications. Her depth and range of knowledge never fail to impress her audiences.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

San Francisco History Expo 2013

Saturday, March 2, 2013, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 3, 2013, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Old Mint
88 Fifth Street at Mission

San Francisco, CA 94103

The California Genealogical Society will have a booth at the Third Annual San Francisco History Expo the first weekend in March. Admission is free (donations are welcome).

The San Francisco History Expo brings local and neighborhood history groups together under one roof. This is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about—and participate in—San Francisco history though presentations, photographs, artifacts, children’s activities, and historical reenactments.

More than forty organizations will be represented at the two-day event, displaying their connection to San Francisco's history and sharing information about their group. The CGS will be sharing a room with SFgenealogy.org and the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogy Society.

This year we will be promoting our new San Francisco Special Interest Group and, of course, Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research. 

Judy Bodycote helped with last year's CGS table and sent this review:

The exhibits are all very interesting, covering many aspect of SF's past and present. Last year, the Maritime Museum exhibit was particularly noteworthy with a whole room full of items including a model ship with working rigging, and the parts labelled. It is also one of the few times when the mint is open to the public.

Judy Bodycote and Nancy Servin are overseeing our presence this year. They are coordinating schedules for volunteers to staff our booth. If you can help, please email Nancy.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Wordless Wednesday

San Francisco History Expo

Old Mint

March 3-4, 2012

 

Photographs courtesy of Judy Bodycote, Linda Darby, and Jane Lindsey.


Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

San Francisco History Expo – March 3 and 4, 2012 at the Old Mint

The Second Annual San Francisco History Expo will take place at the Old Mint, 88 Fifth Street at Mission, on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4, 2012. The Expo will run from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day, and admission is free (donations are welcome).


This year the California Genealogical Society will have a presence thanks to the generosity of  SFgenealogy.org and the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogy Society who are sharing their space. 

Dozens of neighborhood-based and other historical associations representing the diversity of San Francisco will present mini-museums displaying artifacts and sharing information about their organizations.

In addition, there will be an exhibit entitled “Elegant Pit Stops,” images of historic garages from around the city. Artist Alan Zimmerman will display his large-scale oil-on-wood paintings of Gold Rush San Francisco.

Historic figures will mingle with the crowd and there will be historic films presented on the vault level and several special presentations during the weekend.

You can find the latest information on the Expo at SFHistoryExpo.org.


Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Encore presentation - New York City: Insider's Guide to Research by Steve Harris

Sunday, June 27, 2010
1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Doors open at 12:30 p.m.)

Oakland Regional Family History Center
4766 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602

If you are like the majority of Americans, at least one of your ancestors spent time in New York City. This encore presentation will focus on techniques for researching New York City ancestors in the 19th and 20th centuries using the internet, local resources, and on-site research in New York City itself. We will explore the wealth of online material accessible on NYC Web sites as well as that hidden deep within Ancestry.com and other subscription services. Attendees are encouraged to bring laptop computers, as the library has free wi-fi.

Program:
Part one from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Hands-on time on computers 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Part two from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. 

Steve Harris is a consulting genealogist with extensive experience assisting clients with their family histories. Born in Brooklyn, he has deep roots in New York City, but the siren call of California was too strong to resist.  Steve is president of the California Genealogical Society and Library. His office and 6,000-volume research library are in Oakland, just down the hall from CGS.

Sponsored with the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society.



 Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Two Lectures by Steve Morse on Sunday, November 16, 2008

CGS member Jeremy Frankel sent this announcement:

The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society will close its 2008 lecture series with two presentations by Steve Morse - DNA and Hodgepodge.

We extend a welcome to all genealogists to attend our lectures, which are always free and open to the public.

When: Sunday, November 16th, 2008
Where: Jewish Community High School, 1835 Ellis Street
Location: Auditorium on 2nd floor
Doors open at 12:30, meeting begins at 1:00 pm
Note: there is FREE secure parking in the garage on site
Note: lectures are free, as are the cookies and coffee!

After the lecture, do check out the library on the same floor.

Parking is accessed by entering the garage on Pierce Street by Eddy. Press the security buzzer and announce yourself.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Gen-Blogging in San Francisco This Sunday

Bay Area genealogists have been given an incredible last-minute opportunity. Jeremy Frankel, CGS member and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society, just announced that Schelly Talalay Dardashti has agreed to present Gen-blogging: How to Do Effective Blogging Focusing on Genealogy this Sunday, July 20, 2008. Their scheduled speaker, Carol Baird, had to cancel due to a family emergency.

I had the opportunity to hear Schelly's talk at Jamboree and it is a treat to hear one of the pioneers in the field.

Knowledge and resources in the field of genealogy are increasing at such a fast rate that it is difficult to read everything of interest and distill it down to usable information. That's where the gen-bloggers come in. They are the eccentric ones who spend days and nights searching myriad sources, reading, distilling, writing and supplying information to the genealogy community. Some are generalists, others specialists, but all are colleagues, and do work together on major issues.

Schelly Talaly Dardashti is a renowned genealogist, journalist, blogger, online instructor and international speaker. A native New Yorker based in Tel Aviv, she has tracked her family history through Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Spain, Iran and other countries. Her articles about genealogy have been widely published in the Jewish media. Her blog, Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog, was recently named one of Family Tree Magazine's top 101 genealogy sites for 2008.

Time and Place:
Jewish Community High School
1835 Ellis Street
San Francisco, California
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Lecture begins promply at 1:00. Admission free.
Free parking: enter parking garage from Pierce Street.

The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development, preservation and distribution of Jewish genealogical knowledge and material, and the sharing of techniques and tools with others who may be searching their Jewish Roots. The SFBAJGS functions through the voluntary efforts of its members, all of whom are encouraged to participate. The Society is governed by a Board of Directors, according to a set of published bylaws. The SFBAJGS is a member of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS).