This notice ws in Ancestry.com'sdaily newsletter today: NATIONAL ARCHIVES IN WALTHAM TO RELEASE 1930 CENSUS AT MIDNIGHT ON 1 APRIL 2002 ================================== WALTHAM, MA. The National Archives-Northeast Region, located at 380 Trapelo Road in Waltham, will release the 1930 Federal population census for the first time on 1 April 2002. In celebration of this decennial event, The National Archives- Northeast Region in Waltham will OPEN AT MIDNIGHT on 1 April and remain open for research through 4:30 p.m. Monday. National Archives staff and volunteers will be available to assist researchers. Microfilmed copies of the 1930 Federal population census will also be opened for research at the National Archives building in Washington, DC and at 12 other Regional Archives facilities across the nation. The 1930 census consists of 2,667 rolls of microfilm of population schedules and 1,587 rolls of Soundex indexes for 12 Southern states, totaling 4,254 rolls of microfilm. Even though the statistical summaries collected by enumerators are made public shortly after the census is taken, federal law restricts the release of information on individuals and families for 72 years for privacy reasons. The 1930 Census was conducted on 1 April 1930. The 1930 census is the 15th Federal census mandated by the U.S. Constitution, which states "The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such manner as they shall by law direct." There is no index to the 1930 census except for 12 Southern states. A researcher must know the address at which a family resided in 1930 in order to locate a member of their family. The National Archives has provided a collection of City Directories and other finding aids to assist in locating addresses. The NARA facility in Waltham has extensive microfilm holdings and some collections of original records for genealogy research. These collections include Federal population censuses, 1790-1930; Revolutionary War military and pension records; 19th century passenger records for most East Coast United States and Gulf of Mexico ports; some 20th century records for Boston, New York, and Canadian Border Crossings; World War I draft registration records (New England states only); and naturalization records (New England states only). Regular hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. - 9 p.m., and the first and third Saturday of each month 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., excluding all Federal holidays. The mission of the National Archives is to ensure, for the Citizen and the Public Servant, for the President and the Congress and the Courts, ready access to essential evidence. Diana in AL (looks like we will have an index down here!!)