Winchester Virginia Family History Center

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Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location Map

Address:


 * 399 Apple Pie Ridge Rd Winchester VA 22601 United States
 * The entrance to the Family History Center is at the rear of the building.
 * The doors to the building are normally locked.
 * There is a doorbell button located on the left edge of the double doors.
 * Press the button and a staff member will release the door latch.
 * Enter through the right door of the double doors.
 * Once inside go to the left within the main lobby, and then down the left corridor.
 * The family history center is about half way down the hall on the left hand side.


 * Language:English

Phone:


 * 1-540-722-6055

E-mail:


 * VA_Winchester@ldsmail.net

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
 * Wednesday: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm


 * Holiday Schedule:

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

Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.

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, including:
 * The 19th Century British Library Newspapers digital archive: This fully searchable database of the British Library's newspaper holdings 
 * Alexander Street Press, American Civil War
 * American Ancestors: AmericanAncestors.org is the portal to the nation's leading resource for the highest-quality comprehensive family history services.
 * Ancestry.com: Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world
 * findmypast: findmypast makes it easy to research your UK ancestry and create your family tree.
 * Fold3  (formerly Footnote.com): Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories.  
 * Kinpoint Premium:  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: Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.


 * Newspaper Archives, Access: 


 * Paper Trail: Provides access to 19th-century westward American migration documents.
 * ProQuest Obituary Listings: The ProQuest obituaries collection is a premier resource for genealogical and historical research. 
 * Puzzilla: Premium Services: Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree.
 * World Vital Records: The link to World Vital Records currently redirects to MyHeritage.com.

Hardware and Equipment

 * 4 computers with FHC Portal page which gives free access in the center only to premium family history websites that generally charge for subscriptions.
 * 2 Microfilm readers.
 * 1 Microfiche reader.
 * 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.

Hours. Please note Archives Room hours are different from the rest of the library. Collections summary:
 * Extensive collection of materials on the people, places and events of the Lower Shenandoah Valley from 1732 to the present. The focus of the collection is Winchester and Frederick County.
 * Over 4000 published books: abstracts of county court records, county histories, genealogies, regimental histories, and studies of battles from the French and Indian War to the Civil War.
 * Newspapers from 1787 to the present, (incomplete). Some titles have been microfilmed; however none are indexed.
 * Over 600 linear feet of manuscripts and ephemera, maps, photographs, and oral history tapes. Manuscript collections and published books appear in the library’s online catalog.

Links
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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: history.
 * Skilled in teaching and working with patrons.
 * Comfortable using technology to help patrons with their family
 * Able to exercise good judgment and discretion when dealing with sensitive family matters.