Big Rapids Michigan Family History Center

''Family History Centers are branches of Family Search and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy and family history by:''


 * Giving personal one-on-one assistance to patrons
 * Providing access to genealogical records through the Internet or microfilm loan programs
 * Free access to selected Premium websites

CENTER CONTACTS and HOURS
Location Map:
 * Location Map

Address: 1325 Woodward Ave Big Rapids MI 49307-9052 ''United States  ; Phone: 1-231-796-0698 or 1-231-796-0207

E-mail: MI_BigRapids@ldsmail.net

'Open Hours: 'Thursday: 9am-12:00 noon; To make an appointment for other times, please call in advance at (1-231-796-0698);  Note: we may occasionally close unexpectedly because of inclement weather or illness.''

Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * On-site Fiche catalog collection and selected Microfilm on indefinite loan

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.

Hardware and Equipment
The following equipment is available for use at the Center:
 * 2 computers with free access to Premium Websites; WIFI
 * One Canon Microfilm Scanner 300; one black and white printer

CENTER SERVICES
Big Rapids Center open Thursdays from 9 - 12 noon; call for availabiity of computer. One-on-one consultation times available upon request.

RESOURCES in Local Area
CEMETERIES - Cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave website can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.
 * The Big Rapids Michigan Family History Center has paper Reference Guides and contacts for Cemeteries located in Mecosta County (2012) and Newaygo County (2015).
 * Newspaper collection at Tamarack Public Library for Mt Pleasant Morning Sun with current obituaries; PH 989-352-6274; http://micentral.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

GENEOLOGY WEBSITES - Free access is provided at the Center to many subscription genealogy websites, including:
 * Ancestry.com
 * Fold3.com
 * MyHeritage
 * Puzzilla.org

LOCAL LIBRARIES/GENOLOGY SITES


 * Big Rapids Library, 426 S Michigan Ave; PH 231-796-5234; http://www.bigrapids.lib.mi.us/
 * Ferris State Univ Library, 1010 Campus Dr; PH 231-591-3500; http://www.ferris.edu/library
 * Family Search LDS, 1325 Woodward Ave; PH 231-796-0698; http://familysearch.org
 * Barryton Museum, 19730 30th Ave; PH 989-392-7678; http://www.michigan.org/property/barryton-area-museum/
 * Barryton Public, 198 E Northern Ave; PH 989-382-5288; http://www.barrytonlibrary.com
 * Blanchard Library, 324 Main St; PH 989-562-2480; http://michigan.public-libraries.org
 * Mecosta County Genealogical Society, 424 N 4th Ave, BR; open 10 AM on 2nd Sat of month.

COUNTY OR TOWNSHIP RECORDS


 * Mecosta Co Courthouse, 400 Elm St; PH 231-592-0145; www.county-clerk.net
 * Croton Twp, 8260 S Croton; PH 231-652-1615
 * Morton Twp, 110 S James St; PH 231-972-8315

NATIVE AMERICAN


 * Ziibiwing Center, 6650 E Broadway, Mt Pleasant 48858; PH 989-775-4750; http://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing
 * Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sault St Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; PH toll free 800-793-0660

Links
MECOSTA COUNTY, MICHIGAN GENEALOGY

Guide to Mecosta County history and genealogy sites for local probate and vital records; accessed June 2015 at https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Mecosta_County_Michigan_Genealogy

FREE PDF GENEALOGY FORMS 

Includes Pedigree Chart and Family Group Record Sheet; accessed June 2015 at http://www.misbach.org