Hartford 2007 e-zine #15
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And don't forget to check out our NERGC 2007 blog at http://nergchartford2007.blogspot.com.
The blog will help you to get the most out of the conference and your research trip.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION UPDATE
HOTEL UPDATE
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
MORE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS
LIBRARIANS’ DAY
CONFERENCE FINISHERS: SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING
DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE?
UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE
NERGC VOLUNTEERS: A TRADITION OF “HELPING”
ATTENTION PRE-SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE
HOSPITALITY LOOKS AT COMMUTER PARKING LOTS IN CONNECTICUT
TRAVEL ALERT FOR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.
HARTFORD’S ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOURS
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AND NEAR HARTFORD
STILL MORE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHERE
MAINE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2007 CONFERENCE
ABOUT THIS E-ZINE
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION UPDATE
Registration Chair Mary Choppa reports that nearly 600 have already registered for New England CONNECTions, exclusive of speakers and exhibitors. Although pre-registrations for the conference after 1 April are considered walk-ins, if you have yet to register, we anticipate no problems in registering for the conference, meals, or work! shops if you act right away. However, it is possible you will not receive a printed syllabus, conference pin, or bag if you delay much longer. For registration information, go to http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm.
Also a reminder that cancellations postmarked before 10 April are subject to a $15.00 processing fee. No refunds are available after 10 April 2007.
HOTEL UPDATE
Some rooms at the Marriott are available but not at conference discounts. Other hotels mentioned in E zines 11 <http://www.nergc.org/2007/ezine11.htm> and 12 <http://www.nergc.org/2007/ezine12.htm> and are located in and around Hartford.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
In the past two E-zines, we’ve highlighted two of our three featured National speakers. In E-zine 13 <http://www.nergc.org/2007/ezine13.htm> , we provided information on Hank Jones, known for his research on Palatine families and his book Psychic Roots, and in E-Zine 14, we featured Cyndi Howells, owner and webmaster of Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet.
Our third featured speaker, Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG, is a professional genealogist specializing in problem solving, whose articles have appeared in over a dozen publications. She is the editor of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, editor of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine; and consulting or contributing editor to Newbury Street Press, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and the Maine Genealogist. Pat is the author of Researching Your Colonial New England Ancestor, Locating Your Roots: Discover Your Ancestors Using Land Records, and Producing a Quality Family History. She is a former trustee of the Association of Professional Genealogists and in 2000 was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. A popular lecturer and instructor, she has spoken at many national conferences and institutes.
At New England CONNECTions, Pat will do presentations on Friday morning, Session F-202 (8:30 A.M. - 9:30 A.M.), on The Language of Land and Saturday morning, Session S-309 (10:00 A.M. -11:00 A.M.), on Producing a Quality Family History. At the Friday evening’s banquet, F-230, sponsored by the New England! Historic Genealogical Society, she presents Pat Tells All: Who Did What for Whom, sharing the hidden secrets of genealogical successes.
MORE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
New England CONNECTions features something for everyone, with eight separate lecture tracks available during the Conference:
o Ethnic Genealogy
o Federal Records at the National Archives
o Genealogical Techniques
o New England Research
o Records & Sources
o Skills & Methodology
o Technology
o Writing & Documents
See the full conference brochure at http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm <http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm> .
HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS
In addition to the lecture sessions, a variety of special workshops are being offered at the Conference. Each workshop is 2-3 hours in length and requires an additional fee. Please read the descriptions to understand additional requirements. Workshop space is limited. Make your choices on the NERGC registration form <http://nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm> .
Family History 101
On Thursday, April 26, Marcia Melnyk will present Family History 101, a Beginner’s Primer to Genealogy. After outlining ways to get started, she’ll provide information on recording data, separating fact from fiction, and accessing places to locate records. Cost of the workshop is $35 and includes a copy of Marcia’s book, Family History 101.
Hands-On Workshops to Take Your Computer Skills to the Next Level
Digital images, whether of photographs or documents, are increasingly useful and important to compiling and preserving any family history. Two workshops planned for this NERG conference should help a wide range of computer-using genealogists take their skills to the next level.
Capturing images worthy of archiving is the first step in the process. The first of these, Working with Digital Images from Scanning and Storing to Basic Editing by Emery Roth on Thursday afternoon from 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. (Session T-113, $30) is designed to demystify issues related to resolution, file format, and the scanning process so that participants will be certain that the images they capture today will be useful for their needs tomorrow. Participants will work with their own images and scanners so light and portable that they can easily become part of every researcher's travel kit when they visit libraries or relatives' homes. After learning h! ow to get the most from these scanners, participants will take their scanned images into Photoshop Elements for a bit of basic image editing. Finally, they will learn about several software programs designed to help in organizing and cataloging images.
Once captured, there is much one can do to enhance the quality of old (or new) images. The second workshop "Enhancing and Repairing Digital Images in Photoshop Elements," presents Enhancing and Repairing Digital Images in Photoshop Elements on Friday morning from 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. (Session F-201, $35). is designed to get you started in Photoshop Elements or to take basic Photoshop skills to the next level. Do you have old photographs that have become badly faded? Are some of your images disfigured by scratches, tears, folds, or mold? Do you have old metal images or daguerreotypes with tones that look unnatural? Is there an insignia, locket, or! other detail in an image that you want to see more clearly? Are those 1950s color photos looking a little too yellow? Photoshop Elements is a powerful tool that can draw more out of an old photo than you knew was there, and it can enable you to make repairs that you might previously paid hundreds of dollars to have a professional do. You will practice using a wide range of Photoshop tools of special value for genealogists. Those who are already using Photoshop but have not yet worked with "levels" will appreciate the flexibility and control offered by this valuable feature of the software. Those who are new to Photoshop may benefit from the two-day experience of taking both workshops.
Participants must bring their own USB equipped laptop with CD drive and with a copy of Photoshop Elements installed. Though the conference program calls for participants to have Photoshop Elements version 4, Photoshop Elements version 5 will also work.
Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs
David Mishkin and Maureen Taylor's Photography Workshop Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs (Friday afternoon 27 April from 1:45-3:45 PM) is limited to 30 participants and is filling quickly. Learn to identify family photographs by researching photographers, dating costume clues, and comparing facial characteristics. Cost of the workshop is $30.
LIBRARIANS’ DAY
There is still room in our special pre-conference program for librarians, library trustees, and friends of libraries on Wednesday, 25 April 2007, at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. The cost is $35 and includes lunch compliments of ProQuest Information and Learning. See the schedule at http://nergc.org/2007/librariansday.htm <http://nergc.org/2007/librariansday.htm> for additional information.
CONFERENCE FINISHERS: SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING
If you're not already signed up, please note: there is still room at the Connecticut Society of Genealogists’ Banquet on Saturday evening, with Henry "Hank" Jones as our speaker. At the 9:00 A.M. program Sunday morning, the Rev. Adam Söderberg portrays Rev. Jonathan Edwards during the 1700's Great Awakening period in New England. Staying for these “conference finishers” allows you to begin your return home in the daylight hours, having com! pleted the full conference program. As is normal, please contact NERGC Registration for the Banquet, and your choice of hotels directly for your room.
DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE?
If you (or a friend) don’t have time for the entire conference ($125), single day registrations are available at $85 per day.
Also, while admission to most conference activities requires a fee, some activities will be open to the general public without charge. On Thursday, April 26 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., there will be a “Society Fair” showcasing genealogical and historical organizations from all over New England will provide information about their organizations. Participating societies include the Middlesex Genealogical Society of Darien, the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut, and the Naugatuck Valley Genealogy Club among many others.
Open Thursday, April 26 from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. and on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 from 8:20 A.M. until 5:00, the Exhibit Hall will be open to the public without charge. Exhibitors from across the U.S. and Canada will offer a wide array of genealogical products and services. Folks will be able to purchase books and resources, chat with exhibitors, including the Connecticut Ancestry Society, with expertise they’re willing to share, and find out more about genealogical and lineage societies. To see a floor plan of the Exhibit Hall and a complete list of exhibitors, go to: http://www.nergc.org/2007/exhibithall.htm <http://www.nergc.org/2! 007/exhibithall.htm> .
UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE
Need a convenient way to get all your Conference purchases home? The UPS Store is located across from Starbucks coffee shop in the Marriott hotel. Hours: M-F 7:00 A.M. - 6:30 PM and Saturday 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. They offer packing, shipping, receiving, printing and more. Telephone: 860-656-7386.
NERGC VOLUNTEERS: A TRADITION OF “HELPING”
Every one of the participants at NERGC 2007 in Hartford is likely to interact at some point with one of the over one hundred volunteers scheduled to assist. Volunteers will point the way to rooms, getting you going in the right direction, greet you at luncheons and banquets, help you mix and network during socials, host sessions including introducing speakers, encourage your participation in session and conference evaluations, get you efficiently through registration, help you with local resources, answer your questions, and assist you in multiple ways. So, watch for the NERGC 2007 Volunteers – we’ll be there to help you!
ATTENTION PRE-SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS
Are you one of the more than one hundred volunteers scheduled to help make NERGC 2007 the best conference yet? Don’t forget to stop by the Volunteer Welcoming Table on Wednesday, located in the Marriott Meeting Room hallway outside of the Capital 1, 2, and 3 space, and on Thursday through Saturday on the “balcony” pre-function area outside the Exhibit Hall on the Convention Center’s Ballroom Level. Pick up your volunteer packet with all the information needed to make your volunteer time fun and easy. As conference time nears, don’t hesitate to contact Pam Roberts, Volunteer Committee, Pamela.roberts@uconn.edu <mailto:Pamela.roberts@uconn.edu> or 860 429-8751 (evening best) wit! h questions or concerns.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
There are still some unmet needs for volunteers! But it is not too late for you to help us fill those needs. The tasks are well defined, with easy directions: some involve sitting, some involve standing, and some involve walking to guide others or to deliver or collect things. Take a break, sit a spell, or fit into your schedule a walking break. Contact Pam Roberts (Pamela.roberts@uconn.edu <mailto:pamela.roberts@uconn.edu> ) for up to date information about ways you could help with general volunteering tasks or contact Fred Hart (hartfc@aol.com <mailto:hartfc@aol.com> ) to inquire about existing volunteer needs for the Ancestors Road Show.
MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE
Driving directions to the Conference are included on page 2 of the Registration Brochure, http://www.nergc.org/2007/program/page2.htm <http://www.nergc.org/2007/program/page2.htm> , and parking options were included in E-zine 14.
Note that one parking garage services both the Connecticut Convention Center and the Hartford Marriott Downtown and that it has two entrances.
The GROVE STREET ENTRANCE is closest to the Marriott, to the LEFT of the hotel. If you’re registered at the Marriott, you can pull into the hotel registration area before proceeding to the garage. Check-in time is 4:00 P.M., but if you’re arriving earlier, you can ask that bags be held for you until your room is available. After dropping off any bags, proceed to ticket gate and follow signs to the hotel end of the parking garage.
If you’re not staying at the Marriott, look for the main entrance to the parking garage, the COLUMBUS BOULEVARD ENTRANCE, (which is to the RIGHT of the hotel). Proceed up the ramp to the ticket gate.
The Convention Center’s main lobby is accessible from Level P1 of the parking garage. Level P5 of the garage tower provides an alternate entrance, along an outdoor walkway, to the Convention Center’s riverside entrance.
HOSPITALITY LOOKS AT COMMUTER PARKING LOTS IN CONNECTICUT
Parking opportunities away from Hartford for NERGC attendees on a day-by-day basis abound in Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has a system of 185 lots throughout the state.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Web page, www.ct.gov/dot <http://www.ct.gov/dot> , includes a Guide to Connecticut Park and Ride Locations at http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&Q=259406 <http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&Q=259406> . It seems a little awkward to work with, but is worth your while if this topic interests you. It includes a list of all 185 lots in Connecticut, alphabetical by town, a description as to type of each lot and its connecting services, and interactive maps! . While some overnight parking is permitted, “long-term” is not (they do not specify their meaning of long-term) and certain vehicles are not permitted in the lot.
The DOT Web page also includes links to Express Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305320 <http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305320> and Local Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305318 <http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305318> . Contact the state Department of Transportation (2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington CT) at 860-594-2141 for additional information, including bus fares and your “landing place” in Hartford, in relation to the Convention Center (you may have to tie in with the free Star Shuttle in downtown Ha! rtford).
And another reminder that the “Star Shuttle <http://new.cttransit.com/content/pdfs/starshuttle_FINAL.pdf> ”, a free bus that connects several points within the city, runs every 12 minutes, from 7am to 11pm. This provides ready access from NERGC conference area to nearly all of the highlights in town, without moving your car or trying to hail a cab.
TRAVEL ALERT FOR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.
Don’t get stuck halfway to NERGC! Conference attendees traveling by air to/from United States to attend NERGC are advised to double check what documentation they must carry to be admitted into U.S. under the new passport regulations, effective 23 January 2007. Please check with your travel agent, or the U. S. Dept. of State.
HARTFORD’S ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOURS
NERGC is pleased to announce that Ruth Shapleigh Brown, Executive Director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, has generously offered to lead early NERGC attendees on two informal guided tours of Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground. This venerable cemetery is the oldest landmark left in Hartford. It is the center of where the first settlers gathered to plan their community, build their church and bury their dead. A connection with practically all colonial families that lived in or came to Connecticut can be found in the history of this oldest burial ground. Ruth’s tour will acquaint you with some highlights of Hartford’s history, the people and their genealogies as well as introducing some of the colonial stone carvers. If you are wondering why there are no gravestones for people who died in 1632, you need to join one of the tours!
The first tour will be on Wednesday, April 25 at 4:30 P.M., just after the Librarian’s Day closes, the second on Thursday, April 26 at 10:00 A.M. The Cemetery is located just a couple of blocks from the Convention Center at the corner of Gold and Main Streets. Tours will gather at the front gate of the cemetery near the statue of Rev. Stone. Maps and directions will be available at the Hospitality table Wednesday (at the Marriott) and Thursday (at the Convention Center). Persons interested in these tours should email Ruth at shapbrown@cox.net <mailto:shapbrown@cox.net> (please insert NERGC Cem! . Tour on the subject line) indicating which tour they wish to join. Ruth’s knowledge and expertise should not be missed. For more information about the Ancient Burying Ground (Gold Street and Main Street) see www.theancientburyingground.org <http://www.theancientburyingground.org/> .
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AND NEAR HARTFORD
A visit to Connecticut would be incomplete without exploring the historic sites that it has to offer. In the last E-zine we featured sites within walking distance of the Convention Center and Marriott Hotel. Here is a sampling of other institutions and activities you can “CONNECT” to in and near of Hartford.
STORYCORPS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT IS IN HARTFORD
At Hartford’s historic Old State House, just one block away from our conference site, you will find a most appropriate event being held. A nationwide oral history project called StoryCorps will be holding personal interviews where participants tell about important personal events in their lives April 5 through Saturday, April 28. You can be a part of America’s largest oral history project ever. Interview a relative, a co-worker, a mentor – and capture voices, memories, and stories. StoryCorps facilitators work with you to record your conversation for the Library of Congress and future generations, for public radio, and for yourself. Reservations are being accepted on a first come, first-serve basis starting March 22.
At the end of this project, all sessions will be archived and housed at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. For further details, please visit www.courant.com <http://www.courant.com/> for the April 4th article, page D-1 (or search StoryCorps to see several recent articles). For booth hours and more information, go to http://www.wnpr.org/storycorps.asp <http://www.wnpr.org/storycorps.asp> .
SIGHTSEEING TOUR COMPANY ALTERNATIVE
Besides the Connecticut River Cruise tentatively scheduled for Friday April 27 (See the last E-zine for details) NERGC visitors might be interested in a tour run by the Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours Company. Each of their tours has a historical theme and folks with ancestors in the Hartford/Farmington area might find a tour a wonderful addition to their NERGC experience and family research activities. Those interested should visit the company website http://www.charteroaktree.com <http://www.charteroaktree.com/> and make arrangements directly with them.
STATE LIBRARY ANNOUNCES SPECIAL HOURS
For coming to Hartford early for the New England Regional Genealogical Conference (April 26-29 at the Connecticut Convention Center and the Marriott Hartford Downtown) and others wanting extra research time, the State Library’s History and Genealogy Unit will remain open until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 25th. There will be an extra retrieval of archival and special collections material at 6:00 P.M. And to sustain researchers in their endeavors, light refreshments will be served from 5:30 -6:30 P.M. in Memorial Hall of the Museum of Connecticut History. For those not familiar with the History and Genealogy Unit, orientation tours will be held on the same day at 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 and 5:30 P.M.
The Library will be open regular hours Thursday and Friday, April 26th and 27th from 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. and on Saturday, April 28th from 9:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.
For more information about the History and Genealogy Unit’s resources and services, see the History and Genealogy Web page www.cslib.org/handg.htm <http://www.cslib.org/handg.htm> and the State Library’s Research Resources page www.cslib.org/faq.htm <http://www.cslib.org/faq.htm> .
SPECIAL HOURS AT GODFREY LIBRARY IN MIDDLETOWN
We are happy to inform you that Godfrey Memorial Library will also have extended hours for researchers! The library will be open from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on April 25, 26, and 27 and from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on April 28th. Please stop by and visit! For more information about Godfrey, including directions, visit Booth 1 and 20 in the exhibit hall or go to www.godfrey.org <http://www.godfrey.org/> .
OPEN HOUSE AT WINDSOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY APRIL 29
The Windsor Historical Society will hold a special Open House on Sunday April 29, 2007 from 1 until 4 pm. The Society is particularly inviting the attendees of the NERGC Conference to visit and become acquainted with the resources in the research library. The collections include books, manuscript collections, cemetery records, regional and state histories, town reports, local newspapers, school yearbooks, city directories, and maps which relate to the town of Windsor and its people. Visit Connecticut’s oldest English settlement, tour two historic homes, and explore the exhibition gallery. The Windsor Historical Society, located at 96 Palisado Ave., Windsor, CT, preserves and interprets over 370 years of Windsor’s history. For more information and directions please visit the WHS website at http://windsorhistoricalsociety.org <http://windsorhistoricalsociety.org/> or stop by their table at the Society Fair between 5:00 and 7:00 on Thursday, April 26.
A CELEBRATION AT THE OLIVER ELLSWORTH HOMESTEAD APRIL 29
The Abigail Wolcott Ellsworth Chapter, NSDAR invites you to visit the home of one of Windsor’s notable 18th century sons, Oliver Ellsworth and his wife Abigail Wolcott. Elmwood, built for Ellsworth by Samuel Denslow and later expanded by Thomas Hayden, has furnishings from the Ellsworth and Wolcott families as well as wonderful antiques period to Oliver’s life there. Located at 778 Palisado Avenue in Windsor, Connecticut, it will be open on Sunday, April 29, 2007 to celebrate the 262nd ! anniversary of Oliver Ellsworth’s birth. Tours, special exhibits, and refreshments will be available from 10:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. All are welcome to celebrate the life of this remarkable American. For additional information and directions, stop by the CT DAR booth, Booth 6, in the Exhibit Hall.
STILL MORE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHERE
For a “what to do, and where” during your non-conference hours, please visit the web site of GREATER HARTFORD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU <http://enjoyhartford.com/index.cfm> (GHCVB). Here you will also find opportunities for exploration by those who are in Hartford with you, yet not attending the conference. Their Web site has a myriad of things to consider.
MAINE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2007 CONFERENCE
“Footprints in Time: Discovering Your Ancestors’ Lives” will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2007, at the Bangor Civic Center, Bangor, Maine. This one-day conference features nationally-acclaimed speakers: author and “Genealogy Guys” podcaster George G. Morgan and photo expert Maureen A. Taylor. The day includes a wide variety of sessions for all levels of experience, as well as a research room with a wide variety of resources. For all the details, check out the conference website at www.maineroots.org <http://www.maineroots.org/> or stop by Booth! 20 and pick up a brochure at Maine Genealogical Society’s table in the Exhibit Hall.
ABOUT THIS E-ZINE
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© 2007 New England Regional Genealogical Conference