Red Rock Iowa Family History Center

Red Rock Iowa Family History Center

Center Contacts and Hours
Location map:  Location map


 * Address:  1800 W Jackson St, Knoxville, Iowa 50138


 * Language:  English
 * E-mail:  [mailto:IA_knoxville@familyhistorymail.org IA_knoxville@familyhistorymail.org]


 * Stake Temple and Family History Center Consultants :  Scott Visser, Kim Slay, Sage Bishop, Jennifer Lanning
 * Open Hours:  At this time, please email to set an appointment. Regular scheduled hours will be listed when they become available.

The Red Rock Iowa Family History Center located in Knoxville, IA is a volunteer-run library with access to many archives and records to help you find your ancestors. Because the center is volunteer-run, occasionally there may be an unexpected conflict or illness. Because of this, sometimes the center is closed without notice. We apologize for this and ask you to email ahead to avoid being inconvenienced.

Other nearby Family History Centers from Des Moines:

Upcoming Classes
"Class Dates and Times to be announced"


 * Genealogy 101
 * How to Use FamilySearch.org
 * How to Use Ancestry.com
 * Genealogy: More than Gathering Names
 * Sourcing: The Importance of Documentation in Genealogical Research
 * Staying Organized: Keeping Track of Your Work in Your Genealogical Research
 * Family Connections: Collecting Stories About Your Ancestors
 * How to Use the Census Records
 * Military Records
 * Puzzilla: How to Do Descendancy Research


 *  The Red Rock Family History Center is available to give presentations on Family History. Email ia_knoxville@familyhistorymail.org for more information.

Hardware and Equipment

 * 2 computers (internet access), 1 printer/scanner/copiers, 1 microfilm reader.

Software Installed at the Family History Center:

 * FamilySearch Indexing (to help indexing transcriptions from film to excel spreadsheets)
 * Ancestral Quest 15 Incline Software (newer update from PAF)
 * ArkivDigital Online -- Largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents.
 * XnView XnViewto capture images
 * Libre Office Libre Office(Alternative to Microsoft Office. Compatibility to Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft Office 2013)

Collections

 * Patrons' Microfiche Collection -- a collection of fiche ordered by our patrons, assorted titles. Contain family histories, vital records, and other types of information.


 * Indefinite Film Collection -- a collection of films on a variety of subjects, to include vital records, county records, court records, etc.


 * Book Collection: --

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.
 * 19th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archive - contains full runs of 48 newspapers specially selected by the British Library to best represent nineteenth-century Britain. These support the study of colonial history, genealogical research, politics, urban studies, and media courses.
 * Alexander Street Press - Research Data: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs. 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. The American Civil War: Research Database Letters and Diaries Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera.
 * American Ancestors - To advance the study of family history in America and beyond.It provides family historians access to more than 1 billion records spanning the U.S. and beyond, including one of the most extensive online collections of early American records, and the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines. Special strengths in our content include English, New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia materials.
 * 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, land, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more. It is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world. All family history centers have access to Ancestry.com Library. This site has 10+ billion records. U. S. federal and state census records, vital records, passenger lists, Canadian census, church, and vital records, UK census records, birth, marriage and death indexes, and other international records.
 * ArkivDigital Online -- Swedish genealogy. 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. Launch from the 'ArkivDigital Online' Start Menu or Desktop icon from a computer where the program has been installed.
 * Find My Past -- 1.7 billion international family history records from the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and beyond with records going back to 1200. findmypast makes it easy to research your UK ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life.1911 British Census (accessed through the Find My Past website)–The 1911 UK 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. New collections are added every month.
 * Fold3.com (previously known as Footnote) -- 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. See Using Fold3 at a Family History Center for more information.
 * Geneanet -Geneanet offers every kind of genealogy record published by researchers, genealogy societies, commercial companies, etc. Geneanet is the first site dedicated to genealogy in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany. The Geneanet community has two million members who exchange genealogical information.
 * Kinpoint - 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. Simplified.
 * MyHeritage - Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.
 * Newspaper Archive - the largest historical newspaper database online, contains tens of millions of newspaper pages from 1753 to present. Every newspaper in the archive is fully searchable by keyword and date, making it easy for you to quickly explore historical content. All 50 states plus 10 countries.
 * 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. You can use the collection to search obituaries and death notices from prominent newspapers, such as the New York Times (dating back to 1851). The collection includes both famous and lesser-known individuals and can be searched by name or by keywords appearing in the body of the article.
 * Puzzilla - Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree

Links
Online Genealogy Records by Location
 * Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki: A comprehensive video presentation explaining the Wiki, navigating it, and some especially useful pages. Case studies demonstrate using the Wiki for genealogical research. Editing and adding articles to the Wiki are covered.

Volunteer at the Center
'''We welcome volunteers from the community to help serve in the Family History Center. It's a great way to help others and to learn by doing. You need not be an expert. Ability to use a computer and willingness to become familiar with the FamilySearch website and resources are key. Contact the Stake Temple & Family History Consultants at the telephone or e-mail listed above for more information.'''