Chaille, this is slightly scaled down version of what I posted to the list in 2003. All hours etc. are what they were in 2003 so you need to doublecheck for more current information. 1. An absolute must is a book put out by the Hamilton County Chapter of the Ohio Gen. Society called Guide to Genealogical Resources in Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio. I used this every day! It has addresses, hours, holdings information, and more! It can be ordered from them directly by writing to them at PO Box 15865, Cincinnati, OH 45215-0865. Or better yet, you can buy a copy when you get into town at the Ohio Bookstore located at 726 Main Street (downtown). Their phone number is (513) 621-5142. They also carry other books on local history and genealogy. 2. The public library is an absolute must. I think their hours were changed recently so be sure to check in advance. Great fun combing through old Cincinnati newspapers on microfilm. They have a hard copy of the Sanborn Insurance maps here that are not bound in a book and can be copied easily on any of their copiers (they have regular, oversize, and color copiers). They also have the maps on microfilm, but much harder to use as you only see a small section of the map at a time and often the street names are not included in that particular frame. Much better than the Historical Society, which has a bound copy that they say is too heavy to bring out. 3. The 10th floor of the Hamilton County Probate Court (located at 230 E. Ninth St) has books containing marriage certificates that you can copy yourself for 10 cents (in 2003) on their photocopiers. They have indexes for these. Also wills and brief estate records and some other records as well. I almost didn't go there, but was glad I did. I spent only a half day there. Could have spent up to 2 days there. 4. Hamilton County Administration Building located at 138 E. Court Street has deeds, some military discharge papers, plat maps and other records (see the booklet Guide to Gen Research mentioned above). In 2003 their hours were officially 8-4 (unofficially they open at 6:30 am.) The first morning I got there at 9 am and all the machines were taken. They showed me where everything was located and then I came back at 6:30 am the next morning to do my research. If you get there before 8 am, there may not be anyone there to help you. You must get there at 8 am prompt or you probably won't get a machine. Most of the people doing work here are professional title searchers and there is no time limit on the machines, so you could waste a lot of time waiting for one to become available. Better to go back early the next day. They were very helpful, although some of the staff knows very little about the records or how to use the machines, so be patient and ask if there is someone there who could help you. I spent a half-day here, but would have liked to have spent at least 2 days. I learned a lot about my family here, such as property transfers that took place due to a death in the family, and who was the executor of the estate, etc. This is the kind of meaty information that brings color to our ancestors' lives. It not just names and dates. 5. I had planned to spend several days at Blegen Library Rare Books and Archives on the University of Cincinnati campus, but they were in the process of moving their holdings around and were not allowing visitors. They recommended that I arrange in advance to visit them. Also, they said it is helpful if I can let them know in advance what I want to look at so that they can get the records pulled. They said this is because there is not always someone available to help. 6. The Cincinnati Historical Society is located downstairs at the Cincinnati Union Terminal Building. They have an extensive Photograph collection, as well as many other records (once again, see the Guide to Hamilton County Research for more information). Their hours are (in 2003): 12-5 Monday through Friday and 9-5 on Saturday. I found photos of my ancestors there. They also have the original membership book and other records from the Cincinnati German Pioneer Society. In 2003 I stayed at the Garfield Suites Hotel (phone: (513) 421-3355) and paid $120 per night for two people (tax is included in this). Parking at the garage is $5 per day. The rooms here all have separate bedrooms and a full-sized kitchen. I ate 95% of my meals here and saved a lot of money and time that way. This hotel is right across the street from the Public Library (what a great convenience!) and only 3 short blocks from the Probate Court and 4 short blocks from the Hamilton County Administration Building (recorder's office). I felt the neighborhood was safe in the daylight hours, but would not be on the streets here after dark. Crime is not uncommon in this neighborhood. Have fun! Cincinnatians are wonderful people! Phyllis

This is a good plan. For the 10th floor at Hamilton Co Probate, the cost for copies is still 10cents each. Except if it's from microfilm, it's 50 cents each. The wills are in the process of being photographed to go on-line. They should be online within 6 months to a year. So not all of those are there to check. The staff there will search through them if you leave the info on the name, case #. There is an index of these wills at the downtown library. It helps going there with the case #s. Carol On Jun 8, 2005, at 11:42 AM, Phyllis Garratt wrote: > Chaille, this is slightly scaled down version of what I posted to the > list in 2003. All hours etc. are what they were in 2003 so you need to > doublecheck for more current information. > > 1. An absolute must is a book put out by the Hamilton County > Chapter of > the Ohio Gen. Society called Guide to Genealogical Resources in > Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio. I used this every day! It has > addresses, hours, holdings information, and more! It can be ordered > from > them directly by writing to them at PO Box 15865, Cincinnati, OH > 45215-0865. Or better yet, you can buy a copy when you get into > town at > the Ohio Bookstore located at 726 Main Street (downtown). Their phone > number is (513) 621-5142. They also carry other books on local history > and genealogy. > > 2. The public library is an absolute must. I think their hours were > changed recently so be sure to check in advance. Great fun combing > through old Cincinnati newspapers on microfilm. They have a hard > copy of > the Sanborn Insurance maps here that are not bound in a book and > can be > copied easily on any of their copiers (they have regular, oversize, > and > color copiers). They also have the maps on microfilm, but much > harder to > use as you only see a small section of the map at a time and often the > street names are not included in that particular frame. Much better > than > the Historical Society, which has a bound copy that they say is too > heavy to bring out. > > 3. The 10th floor of the Hamilton County Probate Court (located at > 230 > E. Ninth St) has books containing marriage certificates that you can > copy yourself for 10 cents (in 2003) on their photocopiers. They have > indexes for these. Also wills and brief estate records and some other > records as well. I almost didn't go there, but was glad I did. I spent > only a half day there. Could have spent up to 2 days there. > > 4. Hamilton County Administration Building located at 138 E. Court > Street has deeds, some military discharge papers, plat maps and other > records (see the booklet Guide to Gen Research mentioned above). In > 2003 > their hours were officially 8-4 (unofficially they open at 6:30 am.) > The first morning I got there at 9 am and all the machines were taken. > They showed me where everything was located and then I came back at > 6:30 > am the next morning to do my research. If you get there before 8 am, > there may not be anyone there to help you. You must get there at 8 am > prompt or you probably won't get a machine. Most of the people doing > work here are professional title searchers and there is no time > limit on > the machines, so you could waste a lot of time waiting for one to > become > available. Better to go back early the next day. They were very > helpful, > although some of the staff knows very little about the records or > how to > use the machines, so be patient and ask if there is someone there who > could help you. I spent a half-day here, but would have liked to have > spent at least 2 days. I learned a lot about my family here, such as > property transfers that took place due to a death in the family, > and who > was the executor of the estate, etc. This is the kind of meaty > information that brings color to our ancestors' lives. It not just > names > and dates. > > 5. I had planned to spend several days at Blegen Library Rare > Books and > Archives on the University of Cincinnati campus, but they were in the > process of moving their holdings around and were not allowing > visitors. > They recommended that I arrange in advance to visit them. Also, they > said it is helpful if I can let them know in advance what I want to > look > at so that they can get the records pulled. They said this is because > there is not always someone available to help. > > 6. The Cincinnati Historical Society is located downstairs at the > Cincinnati Union Terminal Building. They have an extensive Photograph > collection, as well as many other records (once again, see the > Guide to > Hamilton County Research for more information). Their hours are (in > 2003): 12-5 Monday through Friday and 9-5 on Saturday. I found > photos of > my ancestors there. They also have the original membership book and > other records from the Cincinnati German Pioneer Society. > > In 2003 I stayed at the Garfield Suites Hotel (phone: (513) 421-3355) > and paid $120 per night for two people (tax is included in this). > Parking at the garage is $5 per day. The rooms here all have separate > bedrooms and a full-sized kitchen. I ate 95% of my meals here and > saved > a lot of money and time that way. This hotel is right across the > street > from the Public Library (what a great convenience!) and only 3 short > blocks from the Probate Court and 4 short blocks from the Hamilton > County Administration Building (recorder's office). I felt the > neighborhood was safe in the daylight hours, but would not be on the > streets here after dark. Crime is not uncommon in this neighborhood. > > Have fun! Cincinnatians are wonderful people! > > Phyllis > > > ==== OHHAMILT Mailing List ==== > ~~ The List GOLDEN RULE ~~ > Keep to genealogy, history, anything ancestor that pertains to > Hamilton > County. ...Positively *NO* selling or OFF TOPIC announcements or > messages. If you're unsure, email the List Mom first at: > OHHAMILT-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >