Bangor Maine Family History Center

The Bangor Family History Center serves Bangor, Maine, and surrounding areas, and is open to the public with no admission charge.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location Map

Address:


 * 639 Grandview Ave Bangor ME United States.
 * The Family History Center is located on the right side in the back wing of the building.
 * The words Family History Center are posted above the wing where the entrance is located.
 * Please ring the buzzer (to the left of the door) for access.


 * Language:English

Phone:


 * (207) 942-7677, press 2 for the Family History Center when prompted

E-mail:


 * [mailto:ME_Bangor@ldsmail.net ME_Bangor@ldsmail.net]

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday:10:00am-2:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm
 * Wednesday:10:00am-2:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm
 * Thursday:10:00am-2:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm
 * Saturday:10:00am-2:00pm

Holiday Schedule:

Closed snow-days (at least when Bangor schools are closed), holidays and holiday weekends, General Conference weekends (1st Saturday in April and October).

Class Schedule

 * Saturday, April 25, 2015 - 9 am - 3 pm - 2015 Bangor Family History Fair featuring video presentations from the RootsTech Conference held February 11-14, 2015 in Salt Lake City plus live classes. During the first hour, we will hear James Shupe play his fiddle and tell ancestor stories. His presentation in April, 2014, was very enjoyable and we expect it will be in April, 2015, as well. This event will be free (as are all our events); however, you will need to provide your own lunch and snacks. Please register at Signup


 * Bangor Family History Fair Classes at 10:15 - 11:15 am (April 25, 2015)


 * Tracing Your British and Irish Roots with FindMyPast (RootsTech video RT2240 - not online) - Elaine Collins - This presentation will introduce the key resources you need to get started with tracing your British and Irish ancestry, including censuses, civil registration, parish records, and census substitutes, as well as exploring the wealth of rarer and exclusive sources.


 * Preserving Our Memories – Using My Family Booklet and FamilySearch.org - Rheanna Dow This class is for individuals to learn the best ways to utilize the My Family Booklet. We will also look at the simple and easy methods of sharing pictures, documents and stories on your family tree. This is a great beginner class for those that don't know where to start.
 * The Write Stuff. Leaving a Recorded Legacy; Personal Histories, Journals, Diaries, and Letters (RootsTech video RT1326) - Valerie Elkins Discover technology that makes leaving a legacy easier. Learn about apps and software to preserve your thoughts, stories, and memories. Still love paper? Find new ways for the old-fashioned pen and paper that gives you the best of both worlds.
 * Finding the Living among the Dead: Using the Internet to Find Your Living Cousins Letters (RootsTech video RT1641) - Amy Archibald The missing link in your family history may be one phone call or email away. We will explore clues available in family trees, obituaries, online tools, and the resources available to identify your cousin’s contact information. Discover your living cousins online.
 * Why Libraries Still Matter in Family History Research - Elizabeth Stevens Today, with so much genealogical information available online, it’s no wonder some people think that libraries are obsolete. However, much of the materials that libraries house are not available online, or may be accessed easily for free unlike similar information posted online through costly websites. You may ask, “Why should I spend time in libraries and archives?” Come to this class to learn the answer to this question.
 * Personal History Triage: How to Tell the Best Ten Stories of Your Life Letters (RootsTech video RT1551) - Alison Taylor When writing a personal history, we struggle with questions such as: Where do I start? How much do I include? How do I handle sensitive issues? Learn a step-by-step method to make writing a personal history easier and more fun.


 * Bangor Family History Fair Classes at 11:30 am – 12:30 pm (April 25, 2015)
 * Getting Started in Genetic Genealogy (RootsTech video GS1406) - Diahan Southard DNA testing for genealogy is all the rage, but what can it tell you? Even more importantly, what CAN'T it tell you? Learn the basics of DNA testing and walk away with confidence in this area of research.
 * Search in FamilySearch – Hinting, Researching, and Sourcing - Justin Dow Which source do I use? How do I improve my searching? We will look at several ways to find more sources for your tree. Come learn some basics of how to be a researcher online using familysearch.org.
 * FamilySearch Family Tree 2014 and Beyond (RootsTech video GS1286) - Ron Tanner This class will give an update on the current status of Family Tree and it's latest features. Additionally, this session will discuss the new features planned for Family Tree.
 * FamilySearch Indexing: It's a Whole New World! (RootsTech video GS1567 - not online) - Scott Flinders Scott Flinders, the FamilySearch indexing product manager, will give an overview of the powerful new features and volunteer opportunities in the new indexing program as well as a sneak peek at even more exciting features that are in the works.
 * Getting Started on Ancestry.com - Nina Brawn So you got your subscription to America's #1 paid genealogy website, and now you're feeling lost? No worries, Nina Brawn will guide you through those next steps and help you avoid some common errors. Not a subscriber? Get the basics to see if it's worth it for you. Let's get started!
 * Building a Genealogy Research Toolbox (RootsTech video GS1425) - Thomas MacEntee Participants will learn not only some of the most important online resources for genealogical research, but also how to organize these resources into an easy-to-access and portable virtual toolbox.


 * Bangor Family History Fair Classes at 12:45 – 1:45 pm (April 25, 2015)
 * Getting the Most Out of Ancestry.com (RootsTech video GS1887) - Crista Cowan and Juliana Scuzs Are you getting the most out of your Ancestry membership? Learn how to navigate the site, build a tree, and search like a pro.
 * Preparing Names for the Temple – Utilizing Descendancy View and Other Tips and Tricks - Rheanna Dow Some individuals feel like their family tree is "done" or they have gone as far as they can go. Think again! With just a few easy steps we will discover new ancestors and new ways of looking at our family tree to discover those missing relatives.
 * 6 Steps to Choreograph Your Research Across the Internet (RootsTech video RT1805 - not online) - Janet Hovorka Learn to correlate your research between the big family history sites. Distinguish the difference between navigating your cousins' conclusions and actual sources about your family history. Discover how to use tabs, and time lines to consistently create solid, well-analyzed results.
 * 30 Pieces of Tech I Can't Live Without (RootsTech video GS1969) - D. Joshua Taylor From online subscriptions to the smallest accessories, come explore thirty essential gadgets and gizmos genealogists should always have up their sleeve.
 * French-Canadian (including Acadian) and Canadian Research - Marilyn Burton French-Canadian, Acadian, a little Native culture and a primary focus on research in New Brunswick will be the focus of the session. Naming traditions vary a little between the two French cultures, but once they are understood, they can help gather a family. The same goes for finding earlier generations from church records as godparents or other witnesses are listed. The session will depend largely on who attends and what the needs are, so questions and discussion is welcomed to determine further direction.
 * You’ve Mastered the Census and Basic Search, What Next? (RootsTech video GS1487) - Karen Auman Unsure where to look next after you’ve searched Ancestry.com and FamilySearch? This class will help you formulate a plan to dig deeper into online sources, including unindexed material, local and state archives, and less-frequently used portions of popular websites.


 * Bangor Family History Fair Classes at 2 – 3 pm (April 25, 2015)
 * Map My Ancestors (RootsTech video RT1495 – not online) - A.C. Ivory There are thousands of historical maps that can help trace and plot your ancestors. Many of these maps have been digitized and are freely available online. This presentation covers some databases and websites where people can access these maps.
 * Family History in Wards and Branches – Help for Consultants and Priesthood Leaders - Justin Dow I know my calling involves family history, but I’m not sure where to start. What are my duties? What are the duties of those I serve with? How do we involve the youth? Bring your questions and problems and we will discuss in open forum how to approach this great responsibility. This will be specifically for consultants and ward/branch council members, but all are welcome.
 * Finding Your Family On Newspapers.com (RootsTech video GS1178) - Peter Drinkwater This session will focus on how you can search, browse, and use newspapers in your family history research. You'll learn how to find what you are looking for and what you can do with it once you have it.
 * Family History on the Go: Using Phones and Tablet Apps (RootsTech video GS1180) - Rhonna Farrer and Crystal Beutler Learn creative ways to use tablets and phones to get work done while on the go: build a family tree, do research, create a digital scrapbook, keep a journal, etc.
 * Online Digital Newspapers (Version 2.0) - Dale Mower Newspapers can provide a rich source of information for the genealogist. Digitization of newspapers is being undertaken by a variety of organizations making it a challenge to locate those you need. This presentation provides some insights into locating and using a variety of digital newspaper archives, with a focus on those providing free access.
 * What's New at FamilySearch (RootsTech video GS1303) - Devin Ashby - What are the latest tools from FamilySearch, and how do I use them? Come learn how to navigate familysearch.org and use the four main tabs at the top of the website. It's never been easier!


 * Wednesday, May 20, 2015 - 6 pm - monthly meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society: "Online Trees with Family Search", presented by Gail Kill.


 * Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - 6 pm - monthly meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society.
 * Wednesday, October 21, 2015 - 6 pm - Monthly meeting of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society.


 * Check out the online FamilySearch Research Courses at Link


 * Please email suggestions/requests for specific classes in Bangor.

Staff Training Meetings

 * One on one as requested by the Staff Member.

Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * Books, over 1,430 microfilms, and over 580 fiche sets, primarily for Maine and other New England states. A smattering of books regarding other states. Some Canadian, British, and German films and books. 

Databases and Software

 * FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.
 * Currently, these websites include 19th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archive, Access Newspaper Archive, Alexander Street Press - The American Civil War, Ancestry.com, ArkivDigital Online, Find My Past, Fold3 (formerly Footnote), Legacy Stories, Paper Trail, and World Vital Records.

Hardware and Equipment

 * 7 computers and 3 printers (one of the printers can copy to a pdf or jpg file)
 * 4 microfilm readers, equipped with monopods for mounting a digital camera to take pictures of film images (Note: Patrons may use their own camera or the FHC camera)
 * 1 digital camera and Kingston card reader to transfer images (Note: Patrons should bring a USB or thumb drive to receive the images)
 * 4 microfiche readers 

Staff Research Specialties
(Include sections for any other services your center provides. Add additional sections for those services. See the Mesa and Logan FHC pages for examples.)

Resources in the Local Area

 * Bangor Public Library: Link


 * Fogler Library, University of Maine, Orono: Link


 * Penobscot Maritime Museum, Searsport: Link


 * Maine State Archives, Augusta: Link


 * Maine State Library, Augusta: Link


 * Maine State Museum, Augusta: Link

Links

 * Online Film Ordering: Link


 * Online Catalog for the University of Maine System Libraries, Bangor Public Library, Maine State Library, and Maine State Archives is called URSUS, which is available at Link


 * FamilySearch Research Wiki article for Maine: Maine Genealogy

Volunteer at the Center

 * We appreciate everyone who comes to help.


 * Please email (see above for our email address) if you are interested in helping.