The Illinois Family Roots Pilot Program, an Illinois state-funded initiative launched in June 2025, is providing free DNA testing kits to Illinois residents interested in exploring their African ancestry. Championed by State Representative Carol Ammons, carried out by principal investigator…
In the final decades of the 19th century, America glittered with promise. Skyscrapers pierced the skyline, railroads stitched the nation together and millionaires were made seemingly overnight. This is the setting for HBO’s hit show The Gilded Age, where the…
This year (2025) marks the 160th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War, and genealogists and historians are still sorting through records created during this devastating conflict. While the notable people and personalities have been thoroughly documented and…
Back by popular demand! The Fountaindale District and the Plainfield Area Public Library District are hosting a two-day Irish Genealogy Workshop featuring the Ulster Historical Foundation on Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18, at the Fountaindale Public Library, 300…
Our 2025 Genealogy Club schedule is confirmed! Meetings will be held via Zoom at 11 a.m. Central Time, with two large-scale hybrid events scheduled for the spring and fall. The theme of this year’s schedule is Put Your Best Technology…
The National World War I Memorial was made available to the public during its first illumination ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 13, 2024. The arrival of this memorial has been a long time in the making. You can…
On the spookiest day of the year, visitors of all ages are welcome to explore one of the oldest pioneer burial sites in Will County. The Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission will host its Boardman Cemetery Halloween Open House on Thursday,…
Last week, museum curator Steven Wright from the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Old Joliet Prison Historic Site provided an overview of Illinois prison and penitentiary records. The presentation’s recording is available on our YouTube channel until Saturday, July 13. A…
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are paving the way to busting down some serious brick walls. If you watched RootsTech this year, you might have caught a session introducing the way generative AI was used to transcribe digitized court records word…
If you have been searching for rare record sets for hard-to-research relatives, you may want to pivot your attention from online search boxes to the treasure trove of resources that have yet to be transcribed! Transcribing records is a great…
