In the genealogy and history community, there is a lot of pressure to be accurate and cautious to avoid mistakes. While this is understandable, since it is easy to jump to conclusions, it is also intimidating for people who are just learning the ropes. Sometimes intimidating enough for them to just give up.

If this sounds like you, I would highly encourage you to go to the LeafLines website and decide if this planner could help you to get a foot in the door. more

It is easy to overlook this tiny little town squeezed between the slightly more noticeable cities of Shakopee and Chaska, but for those who take notice there is a quaint little city with a rich history to be found. The City of Carver was named by Governor Alexander Ramsey after the British Explorer Jonathan Carver who passed through the area in the 1760s.  In 1851 the present cite of the city was settled by Axel Jorgenson who established a hotel on his 415 acre parcel.  A short 3 years later, a company (which Ramsey was a part of) called Carver… more

I’m a bit shocked that this was my first time visiting the Sherburne History Center, but it was! I was stunned by the beautiful facility, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.  Their materials were very well organized and easy to find. I can’t say enough good things about this place!  I’m sure I’ll be back there again soon to collect more information. Have you ever visited a local historical society?  What was your experience?   more

My morning ritual is pretty standard. Start the coffee and sit down to check my e-mails before getting on with my work for the day. My home page (like so many others) is set to Google. It’s Google’s 14th birthday. Gosh, it couldn’t have been 14 years could it? Google has become such an integral part of our daily lives that it has actually become a commonly used verb. Have a silly question? A random factoid to check? Just GOOGLE it! Do you remember the first time you ever used Google? I do. I was in one of my first… more