In fairness to the Cape Girardeau Co. Genealogical Society and to me, I wish to respond to the questions asked by Kevin Kelly. >(My Comment,I wonder why this was not posted,to this group? Again,those >of us with Cape roots,who do not live down there,are not aware of >what,is going on.) I don't think it is the job of this list to promote our organization, thus I have not posted organizational news. We are planning on a new website to accomplish this, through ROOTSWEB. I will post the URL when it is up and running. The Archives and the moving has been reported in the last few issues of Collage. Most of us here think it is great that records are going to be moved out of the five different storage locations and into a central location! Indeed, several different records (most notably Probate files) have NOT been accessible to the general public for NEARLY 10 YEARS and will now be accessible once again. Just have a little patience until next spring--the archival staff need to catalog what is being moved. (My Comment,what records are at this Archives? Where >is this facility located,would appreciate the street address) Are the >old records,no longer in the courthouse? All older records except those in the Recorder's Office (which includes deeds and marriages) will be at the Archives. Microfilm of deeds and marriages WILL be in the Archives, however. You will have "one stop shopping" for Cape Co. records. The facility is located across the street from the Courthouse and County Office Building, on the north side of Washington St. in Jackson. Most records of value to genealogists are also available on microfilm at our library inside Riverside Regional Library. As a result, I don't think this move is going to have the least bit of effect on anyone's research trip to Jackson. Most people make their research trips in warmer times of the year, so within 4 months it will all be accessible anyway. > "Finally,we have begun a new project,"First Families of Old Cape >Girardeau County". If you can document the presence of your ancestor in >the area covered by "old" Cape Girardeau Co(the areas of >Stoddard,Scott,Wayne,Bollinger,Cape Girardeau,Madison and St Francois >coun- >ties today) prior to 1803,1803 to statehood,and statehood to 1850,you >may be eligible as a member of the "First Families". More details >will be forthcoming in the next Collage"(My comment,and hopefully,on >this mail group. Perhaps. However, with the new web site, I probably will not take the trouble to post it there, here, on the other newsgroup, on the GenForum site, etc. Why make five times the trouble? > The greatest advantage to the Internet,is information. I have been >a member of the Cape Go Gene Soc,since at least,1985(or whenever >they began publishing a Quarterly. Without a monthly newsletter,we out >of towners feel,out of the loop. I can't imagine,if someone planned >a research trip to Cape and found out,that,because of this move,they(are >unable?) to view the records. Why not do what I do when I plan an out-of-town trip--call first. This is only common courtesy, since county officials can't be expected to drop everything every time a genealogist walks in the door. Finally, members of the Society should keep in mind that there are about 10-15 of us who are truly active members out of our membership of around 190. We do this as volunteers. We are not a social service agency--we only do it because we get some enjoyment from it. We welcome other members to become more active, so we CAN get more accomplished. Out-of-town members can help (as I did when I lived in Rhode Island) by contributing transcribed records to the Collage, to the library, or to the new web site. I hope this clarifies a few things. Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about the Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society. ----Bill Eddleman President, Cape Girardeau Co. Genealogical Society Editor, Collage of Cape County