At 08:58 AM 6/12/00 -0700, you wrote: >I will have the chance to visit the National Archives for a day at the end >of June. I don't know where to start looking for Ohio info. Any suggestions? Here is my advice, based on years of research at the National Archives: 1. Before you go, make a written list of what you want to look for -- census years for which state/counties and which families, military service records, pensions, passenger lists, whatever. Prioritize. If you are doing 1880 or later censuses, convert your names to soundex code before you go, and write the codes on your "to do" list (this is for the index searches.) Do as much index work as you can before you go; but if you can't get it all done, the National Archives has indexes for 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses on microfilm and many published indexes in book form for miscellaneous earlier censuses for most states. 2. If you are going to look at War of 1812 or Civil War records (most of which have to be looked at in the original), put your requests in early (before 10:30 a.m.). You need to know the unit and/or certificate numbers (there are indexes if you don't already know these.) It takes time to get these records to the central research room (about an hour and a half), so do other things while you are waiting. You will also have to get a researcher ID card to look at original records (not necessary for the microfilm room where the censuses and indexes are.) Make sure you have a quarter for your locker. The copy machines take debit cards which you can buy with "clean" bills from machines, or you can get one at the cashier's office on the first floor. The cards are non-refundable, so don't put any more into one than you are likely to use. 3. On a one-day visit passenger lists are a waste of time unless you know the exact ship your ancestor came on, or unless it is the main reason you are coming to the archives. Only some years and some ports are indexed. Save this task for last. 4. There is no parking to speak of near the Archives. Take the subway to the Navy Memorial/National Archives station (yellow and green lines), or, if the weather is nice and you are coming in on the blue or orange line, you can get off at Federal Triangle and walk three blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue. 5. There is a lunch room in the basement with a limited selection of sandwiches, yogurt and so on. You are welcome to brown bag there, and they have snack and drink vending machines. No eating in the research rooms, of course. 6. Your bags will have to be searched when you go in and when you leave, so don't take anything more than what you need. Don't bring any original documents with you (like birth, marriage or death certificates, etc.) Make sure you have a picture ID, such as a driver's license. 7. Don't be shy about asking the staff and volunteers for help. That's what they are there for. Happy hunting! Susan M.