Alpena Michigan FamilySearch Center

The mission of the Alpena Family History Center is to bring families together, to assist and promote family history research. The Center serves all of Northeast MI with genealogical resources. This includes counties of Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Montmorency and Presque Isle. A quiet space for serious genealogists and beginners alike. Two volunteers staff the Center, a member of The Northeast MI Genealogical Society and a Church member, offering a great deal of experience in the fields of History and Genealogy. Individual help is available; please call ahead to make an arrangement.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location &amp; Map:


 * Address: 411 Long Rapids Plaza Road Alpena, Michigan 49707 ( Next to Alpena Orthopedics)
 * Location on Map

Phone: 989-358-9809

Hours 2013-2014:


 * Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 10am- 3pm
 * weather closings follow Alpena Public Schools

Holiday Schedule:


 * Closed Holidays as well as the preceeding and day following the event
 * Closed between Christmas and New Years

Special Events:

 * Family History scrapbooking to be available 3rd Tue of each month in 2014.
 * Monthly seminars to be held in 2014; 1pm 4th Wed of each month unless otherwise noted.

January           Exploring the Secrets of the MI Archives

February          RootsTech Fair 2014 - Broadcasts from Salt Lake City conference - &amp; more - SIGN-UPS

March             RootsTech Fair 2014 - see above - 4th SATURDAY; Feb &amp; Mar are 9am - 5pm

April             Find a Grave / Billion Graves - a review of these premium websites

May               All About FamilySearch.org - accessing wiki articles, mini classes, etc.

June              Exploring The Anderson Page - a look at this premium Civil War website

July &amp; Aug    Grandparent Day - activities designed to help grandparents &amp; grandchildren connect

September        Ancestry.com - a look at this premium website

October          Celebrating Family History Month! - mini classes on research in several geographical World Vital Records - a look at this premium website - 3rd WED (closed 4th Wed)

December       closed for holidays

Resources

 * A Professional genelogist is available monthly. Call for an appointment.
 * Ella has a specialty in Michigan research.
 * RoseMarie specializes in Polish/German research, but can assist you in other foreign research quest.
 * Bob has experience in New England, English, FrenchCandian research.
 * Kamila specializes in eastern Europe, especially Polish, Russian, Latin &amp; German records.

Family History Library Catalog: This center has the ability to assist patrons in on-line microfilm orders of any films and fiche available through the Family History Library Catalog.

Special Collections

 * Over 500 microfilms of Birth-Marriage-Death records from county court houses in Michigan
 * Microfilm collection of Polish and German records in the present area of Poznan.
 * English films for Cornwall and Lincolnshire.
 * Currently collecting the French-Canadian marriage index( Loiselle), many films available.
 * 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

 * 3 on-line computers
 * 3 microfilm readers
 * 2 microfiche readers
 * microfilm reader/printer
 * wireless Internet

Resources in the Local Area
The George Fletcher Library (AKA The Alpena Public Library) has marvelous local history and genealogical collections. Further afield, the following also have information available, including:


 * The Cheboygan Public Library has many of the resources previously found at the Cheboygan Family History Center, which closed in January 2012.
 * The Mackinac City Public Library has the best wonderful Native American collection in northern MI.
 * The Presque Isle Public Library (Rogers City) has a number of genealogical collections from local families. The Onaway location has local collections.
 * Rogers City has museums for both local history and mariner information.

Volunteer at the Center
If you have been involved is family history research and are interested in helping others -please call the center during hours of operation. We would love to orientate you to our Center.

www. alpenalibrary.org/front/index.html
Michigan_Family_History_Centers