"All work and no play make Jack a dull boy." I don't mean the technical volumes we rely on to keep us current in our genealogical craft. I mean works of fiction that take us to another time or another world. Some may be biographical or historic fiction; others may be cleverly written mysteries. I may be generalizing too much but I think that genealogists enjoy mysteries; why else do we seek answers for our own family history? Historical fiction and mysteries A relatively new twist in the mystery genre is the genealogist as a main character. Several authors are writing series of books with these story lines. Nathan Dylan Goodwin My introduction to this genre was a few years ago when, as SKCGS newsletter editor, I was offered a complimentary copy of Nathan Dylan Goodwin's   The America Ground .  Since it was his third book, I thought it would be a good idea to read his first two books as well.  I was hooked not only on his books but similar books by other authors. Mort...

  Image Courtesy of Pixabay.com. WHAT DO I HAVE? When I attend a genealogy conference, I never pass up the book vendors in the exhibit hall. I am always fascinated by their offerings. As well, a presenter has probably mentioned a book “you must have”. There are books on my shelves that I use daily;  Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills is open near my right hand as I am writing this. Mastering Genealogical Documentation by Thomas Jones and Professional Genealogy edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills probably tie for second-most used books. They are where I can reach them without moving from my computer chair. There are other genealogy books that I refer to only occasionally when I need a specific piece of information. Understanding Colonial Handwriting by Harriet Stryker-Rodda is one of those. HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE? I do not want to purchase a duplicate. I could use a spreadsheet, but sometimes that gets messy. When Marilyn Schunke took over respon...

White River Valley Museum Our soggy Puget Sound weather may have you seeking a warm, dry indoor activity. If so, I recommend a visit to the White River Valley Museum. It is conveniently located adjacent to the Auburn Public Library. You might even combine a research trip to the genealogy section of the Library with a visit to the museum. This small museum features high-quality exhibits including one about the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (the original settlers of this region), a replica of a 1915 Japanese farmhouse and an exhibit about downtown Auburn in the 1920s.  The museum also features an extensive oral history collection and over 13,000 photographs.[1]  Several historic newspapers of the area are available to search online, and the extensive library of books and newspapers is open to researchers.[2] Family Tree Maker User Group Back across the parking lot to the KCLS Library, the FamilyTree Maker Users Group will meet there Saturday, February 1, from 10:15 – 11:4...

By Valorie Zimmerman 2018 was a great year for South King County Genealogical Society, and we anticipate 2019 will be even better. We began the year by launching our new website at http://skcgs.org . Our mail list at Rootsweb was down for awhile, but is back. Our Seminar was tremendous, and we're planning another for 2020. We have had some great speakers at our regular meetings, we've placed for our formerly traveling library at the Kent Family History Center , have renewed our contract with the King County Library System to present our book collection to south King County at the Auburn Library , and have many thriving special interest groups. We had a very successful Intermediate Genealogy class following our 2018 meetings, taught by Winona Baird. Winona also began offering our Research Workshops in 2018. Our Board of Directors meets monthly at the Auburn Fire Station; all meetings are open to SKCGS members. Volunteers staff Genealogy Help tables monthly at three so...