This is from the Columbiana Co. list. Jeanne > > NEW PENNSYLVANIA ONLINE RESOURCE > > ===================================================================== > > > > HARRISBURG, Pa., July 3. On behalf of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, > > Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) Executive > > Director Brent D. Glass today announced Pennsylvanians now -- for the > > first time -- can access historical records through the PA PowerPort. > > > > The Archives Records Information Access System (ARIAS) will enable > > Pennsylvanians and researchers from around the world to utilize the > > tremendous resources of the Pennsylvania State Archives right from > > their homes or local libraries. > > > > The records can be accessed through the PA PowerPort at > > http://www.state.pa.us or directly at the Commission's site at > > http://www.phmc.state.pa.us > > > > "With the click of a mouse, students, teachers, family researchers > > and history buffs will be able to view online historical records > > maintained at the State Archives in Harrisburg," Glass said. "Our > > goal is to provide easy, cost-free access to historical records that > > constitute our most valuable window to the past. We think of it as > > the `Digital State Archives.'" > > > > Currently, ARIAS offers approximately 200,000 images relating to the > > participation of Pennsylvanians in the Revolutionary War, Spanish- > > American War and World War I. The Revolutionary War records are > > arranged alphabetically by the surname of each soldier, with > > information on service in the Pennsylvania Militia, Pennsylvania > > Line, and the Navy; the name and rank of soldier; active or inactive > > duty; county of residence; battalion in which served; and the > > archival record from which the information was extracted. > > > > More than 300,000 Civil War and Mexican Border Campaign service card > > images also are being loaded into the system. > > > > Eventually, millions of digitized records, ranging from 19th-century > > county birth, death and marriage dockets to collections of > > photographs illustrating every aspect of the Pennsylvania experience, > > will be added. > > > > "Genealogists are hungry for access to records such as these," said > > James Beidler, executive director of the Genealogical Society of > > Pennsylvania. "The beauty of the resources found in ARIAS is that > > they will lead researchers to the original source documents, which is > > what every family historian yearns to find about his or her > > ancestors." > > > > For more information, see: > > http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/news/phmcnews2001_12.htm > >