“I am bound to them. Even though I cannot look into their eyes, or hear their voices. I honor their history. I cherish their lives. I will tell their stories. I will remember them.”
— Author Unknown
Welcome to the POST Genealogy Resources Page!
We hope that you find the links and resources helpful in your quest to tell the stories of your ancestors and keep history alive...
Best Free Genealogy Websites for Beginners
About.com
Dive into dozens of how-to articles on research basics, online searching and sharing and preserving the past. You won’t do actual research on this site, but you’ll learn a lot. Because each article leads to more detailed and related articles on the same site, it’s easy to lose track of what you’ve read. Refer back frequently to the three main topic tabs (Learn How, Search Online, Share and Preserve) if you want to read systematically through everything offered.
AfriGeneas
Providing education and resources for those researching African-American roots, this unique site hosts regular opportunities for users to communicate with one another. Start with the Beginner’s Guide under the Records tab, then search marriage, death, surname and slave databases under the same tab. (Also check AfriQuest.com, a free online archive for users to share items relating to African-American genealogy and history).
Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
You’ll come back to this tool again and again. Many Genealogical records are created by counties, the boundaries of which may have changed over time. On this site, click a state, then View Interactive Map and enter the ate for which you want to see county boundaries. Then you’ll be ale to identify which county that town was a part of during the time your ancestors lived there. Click to add layers showing modern maps so you’ll know where it is today.
BillionGraves.com
Search an enormous GPS-tagged database of tombstone images. You also can upload tombstone photos you’ve snapped with a free iPhone/Android camera app. Users can add personal history information to individual photos an link them to other tombstone images. This is a fantastic tool to use on the virtual highway and fun to use when you’re on the “real” road, snapping pictures of tombstones in your family cemetery.
Chronicling America
The Library of Congress portal to historical newspapers has two important areas of content: digitized newspaper pages (1836 - 1922) from 215 states and Washington DC and an index to all known newspapers published in the United States and where to find them today. Check back frequently for new content. To learn more about using the site, including what’s on it and what’s not, click on the Help section.
Cyndi’s List
Consider Cyndi Howell’s site your table of contents for online genealogy. You’ll find lists of sites dedicated to researching particular places, types of records, ethnic and religious groups and more. Check out the Beginner’s category for guides and tips just for newbies.
FamilySearch.org
This is one of the best free online resources available. Search millions of digitized and indexed records from around the world. Some results point to offsite sources for digitized records. Don’t ignore the Learn tab; it’s packed with keyword-searchable articles and online courses. The Catalog tab takes you to the most extensive genealogy library catalog in the world. Microfilmed holdings can be rented for use at a FamilySearch Center near you (see the FamilySearch Centers tab). Share your family tree at the bottom of the home page; learn how you can contribute to online records access under the Indexing tab.
Family Tree Magazine
This website offers abundant tools and how-tos for beginners. The Get Started tab introduces you to the research process. Find free forms and cheat sheets under the Research Toolkit tab. An online archive of how-to articles is keyword-searchable and packed with content from past issues of the magazine and web-only extras. A lot is free; paying Plus members have access to even more.