This came from another list. I was not sure if we already knew about this or not so am passing it along. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 6:50 PM Subject: [MORIPLEY] NARA has put records on the web > News From AOL > > 50 Million Historical Documents Hit Web > > By EUN-KYUNG KIM > .c The Associated Press > > WASHINGTON (AP) - Researchers, genealogists and the plain curious can now use > the Internet to check more than 50 million historical records at the National > Archives, from Civil War battles to family immigration files. > > Before the system became available, people had to either visit the Archives > and spend hours combing through documents or request the files by phone and > pay to have them mailed. > > ``Now, people can pull these electronic records at their own convenience,'' > said Michael Carlson, electronic and special media records director for the > archives. ``It's totally self-service from your desktop.'' > > The records available on the database system represent a small fraction of > the archive's electronic holdings. They were selected because of their > analytical and statistical nature - most deal with information that easily > can be looked up based on specific names, dates, organizations, cities or > states. > > For instance, someone wanting to research a great-grandfather who immigrated > to the United States in the 19th century can choose the series of records > listed under ``immigrants,'' enter the relative's name and learn on what ship > he traveled, the occupation he claimed prior to leaving, the date he arrived > in New York, and the country from which he left, among other details. > > ``It can be another stop in creating your family tree and understanding what > happened and when,'' said Michael Kurtz, assistant archivist for records > services. > > Carlson said he expects the service will be popular with veterans in > particular because of all the information related to military action, > casualties and POWs. > > The records in the new system ``aren't a revelation in information, but is it > helpful? Absolutely,'' said American Legion spokesman John Peterson after > checking out the Web site. > > ``A lot of people active with the POW/MIA issue complain the government > doesn't release enough documents about people who are still missing, so > almost anything they give out is good in our eyes,'' he said. > > Kristine Minami, a spokeswoman for the Japanese American Citizens League, > said getting easy access to government records will provide ``a lot of > validation'' to Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during > World War II. > > The database draws from the records of 20 federal agencies. Most of the > information was created by the agencies to suit their own program needs, > without any thought to its historical significance. > > Because of that, some records have typographical errors like misspelled names > or an inaccurate dates. National Archives officials did not correct any of > the information to preserve the records' integrity. > > Shirley Langdon Wilcox, former president of the National Genealogical > Society, called the new system an ``extremely useful and exciting'' tool. > > ``This certainly gives you enough of an idea of what might be available to > you so you know what to weed out before taking a trip somewhere,'' she said. > ``Anytime you have a tool that can make yourself better prepared before you > go to the Archives or library, it's worthwhile. You don't end up wasting an > hour or two looking at whether they have something, because you've done your > homework. > On The Net: > National Archives' Access to Archives Databases: http://www.archives.gov/aad/ > 04/04/03 14:33 EST > Happy Hunting, > Dyane > > Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay > any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any > foe, to assure the survival and success of Liberty.----J.F.K. > GOD BLESS AMERICA > > > > > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >