Winchester Virginia Family History Center

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Center Contacts and Hours
Address:


 * 399 Apple Pie Ridge Rd Winchester VA 22601 United States
 * Next to Apple Pie Ridge Elementary School.
 * The entrance to the Family History Center is at the rear of the building.
 * Once inside, turn left, then right
 * The family history center is about halfway down the hall on the left-hand side.


 * Language: English

Phone:


 * 1-540-722-6055

E-mail:


 * va_winchester@familyhistorymail.org

Open Hours: Beginning 5 January 2020


 *  Monday: Closed 
 *  Tuesday: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 
 *  Wednesday: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 
 *  Thursday: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm 
 *  Friday: Closed 
 *  Saturday: Closed 
 *  Sunday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm 


 *  Holiday Schedule: 
 *  2019 - Christmas Week - 22 Dec 2019 - 28 Dec 2019, 
 *  New Year's Week - 29 Dec 2019 - 4 Jan 2010 

Inclement Weather Policy: We follow the same closing schedule as the Frederick County Schools: please call 540-722-6055 before leaving for the center:

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Databases and Software
=What genealogy websites are available in family history centers?=

Premium Family History Website Descriptions
Note: You must access the premium subscription websites from a family history center computer through the Family History Center Services Portal. If you try to access them using the links below, the websites require an individual subscription.


 * The 19th Century British Library Newspapers digital archive— http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/ This fully searchable database of the British Library's newspaper holdings provides a complete run of 48 national and regional Victorian British newspapers for the 19th century from 1800 to 1900. These support the study of colonial history, genealogical research, politics, urban studies, and media courses.
 * Alexander Street Press, American Civil War— http://alexanderstreet.com/


 * Research Data: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs. http://asp6new.alexanderstreet.com/cwdb/
 * Letters and Diaries: Contains approximately 100,000 indexed pages of diaries, letters, and memoirs, including 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts, such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland planter William Claytor. http://solomon.cwld.alexanderstreet.com/
 * Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera: Provides a vivid history of the American Civil War with over 1,400 images. http://cpho.alexanderstreet.com/
 * Social and Cultural History: Personal accounts of well-known historical figures.
 * Women and Social Movements in the United States: Organized around the history of women in social movements in the United States between A.D. 1600 and 2000


 * American Ancestors— http://www.americanancestors.org/

Advance your family history research today with AmericanAncestors.org! Created by the expert staff at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), America's founding genealogical organization, AmericanAncestors.org is the portal to the nation's leading resource for the highest-quality, comprehensive family history services. Consult with our expert staff, some of the most respected genealogists in the profession. Read the most significant original scholarship and important publications in genealogy. Access millions of exclusive and sought-after records online. Learn with in-depth online courses and webinars from expert staff. Explore the largest collection of original family history research materials in America.


 * Ancestry.com— http://www.ancestry.com/

Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world, including immigration, census, voter, vital, and military records; newspapers and periodicals; family trees; photos and images; directories, maps, court records, land records, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more. Ancestry is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.


 * ArkivDigital Online

ArkivDigital is the largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents. Click the link from the Premium Family History Websites page to use ArkivDigital Online.


 * FamNet— http://www.nzgdb.co.nz/

The online family history network for those who have New Zealand roots.


 * findmypast— http://www.findmypast.co.uk/

findmypast makes it easy to research your United Kingdom ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records, and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life. Please note that not all of the content from findmypast is available in family history centers.


 * 1911 British Census (accessed through the findmypast website)—The 1911 United Kingdom census is a record of everyone who lived in England and Wales in 1911. It provides a unique snapshot of the lives of those who lived at that time.


 * Fold3 (formerly Footnote.com)– http://www.fold3.com/

Search or browse millions of historical documents and photos. Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories. The Fold3 name reflects military history and honor, since traditionally, the third fold in a flag-folding ceremony honors and remembers veterans for their sacrifice in defending their country and promoting peace in the world.


 * Geneanet— http://geneanet.org With 3 billion referenced individuals and 600,000 trees online, Geneanet is the first site dedicated to genealogy in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany. The Geneanet community has 2 million members who exchange genealogical information.


 * The Genealogist— http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk

This resource, available in centers in the United Kingdom only, contains English parish records, directories, census, civil registration, surname mapping, and selected army and navy lists.


 * Kinpoint Premium— https://kinpoint.com

Kinpoint is designed to make it easier for you to do your family history by letting you see what to work on at a glance, quickly find missing information in your family tree, and discover insights into the lives of your ancestors.


 * MyHeritage—Library Edition— http://myheritagelibraryedition.com/research

Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.


 * Newspapers.com-- https://newspapers.com/ The largest online newpaper archive. 12,100 newspapers from the 1700s to the 2000s. Millions of additional pages added every month.


 * Paper Trail— https://www.paper-trail.org 

Provides access to 19th-century westward American migration documents.


 * Puzzilla— https://puzzilla.org Premium Services.

Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree.

(Updated 1 February 2019)

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Hardware and Equipment


 * 9 computers with FHC Portal page which gives free access in the center only to premium family history websites that generally charge for subscriptions
 * 1 Microfilm readers.
 * Lexmark printer, scanner, copier.

Resources in the Local Area The nearby Handley Regional Library has extensive local archive information:
Archives basic information

Stewart Bell Jr. Archives Room is a specialized local history and genealogy collection located on the lower level of the Handley Library, 100 W. Piccadilly St., Winchester, Virginia. It is jointly operated by Handley Regonal Library and  Winchester Frederick County Historical Society. Our experienced staff and volunteers are available to assist researchers.

Volunteer at the Center
You will be an effective family history center volunteer as you serve and love the patrons of your area and patiently help them with their family history. You do not need to be an expert in family history research. Successful consultants are:


 * Skilled in teaching and working with patrons.
 * Comfortable using technology to help patrons with their family history.


 * Able to exercise good judgment and discretion when dealing with sensitive family matters.

This page was last modified on 9 August 2016