Niceville Florida FamilySearch Center

The Niceville Florida Family History Center exists to help you do your genealogy and family history. We are not professional genealogists, but we do have lots of experience. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, we have expertise to assist you. We know where to find the answers. If you are passing through the area, please come by and visit us.

🇺🇸 CENTER CONTACTS & HOURS

 * Languages: English (Italian & French with advanced notice)


 * Address: 1100 S Palm Blvd, Niceville FL 32578
 * Coordinates: GPS (lat long; degrees, minutes, seconds) 30°30'44.8"N 86°28'28.8"W or DECIMAL 30.512431, -86.474657
 * Location on Google Map


 * Phone: Gail Kimball...850-803-3325
 * E-mail: [mailto:FL_Niceville@ldsmail.net FL_Niceville@ldsmail.net] or gailgkimball@gmail.com
 * Open Hours: Wednesday’s 6:00-8:00pm
 * Holiday Schedule: Not open New Years Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; or Federal Holidays.

DECEMBER 1 - JANUARY 26: 8-WEEK COURSE ON FAMILYSEARCH FAMILY TREE

 * FREE to the public
 * Fridays 10:00 to 11:30am
 * Class Schedule
 * WEEK 1 (1 Dec):    Introductions, Course Overview, FamilySearch Family Tree History
 * WEEK 2 (8 Dec):    Get Help - Why this is the most important lesson
 * WEEK 3 (15 Dec):  Family Tree - Accessing the database
 * WEEK 4 (29 Dec):  Search - Searching the World
 * WEEK 5 (5 Jan):     Memories - What to do with all of your pictures & stories
 * WEEK 6 (12 Jan):   Indexing - How to give back
 * WEEK 7 (19 Jan):   Tips & Tricks - Shortcuts you can use to organize, research, etc.
 * WEEK 8 (26 Jan):   Personal Study - Bring personal genealogy issues to work

MARCH 3, 2018 9:00AM to 12:00PM - FIRST ANNUAL NORTHWEST FLORIDA FAMILY HISTORY FAIR

 * FREE to the public


 * THE GOAL is for new and experienced people interested in genealogy/family history to participate in three 40-minute sessions addressing ways to help them further their personal goals to learn and share the history of their ancestors.


 * LOCATION:  Fort Walton Beach LDS Church Building located at 339 Lake Drive NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548...(opposite hallway of the main entrance...west side)
 * SPONSORED by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints (NO PROSELYTING)
 * ONE-ON-ONE HELP with your personal genealogy questions


 * CLASSES: The following classes will be available:
 * Writing a Personal History - A Rewarding Journey
 * Basic FamilySearch - Have Fun Getting Started Well
 * Indexing - Helping Genealogy Research Move Forward
 * Making An Oral Life History - If you don't do it, who will?
 * African-American Research - Getting Beyond the Basics
 * Land Records - Pre & Post Revolutionary War Guidance
 * European Research - Special Emphasis on Italy & France
 * Google Earth for Genealogists - Enhabcing Your Research
 * DNA - Understanding The Basics Of Using DNA Information
 * Favorite Family History Internet Sites (other than FamilySearch)
 * Family Secret Agent - Keys to Personal Success for Your Family
 * Best of the Rest Records - Gold Mines for Experienced Genealogists
 * Advanced FamilySearch - Maximizing Tools to Entend Your Research
 * Military Records - Unlocking Information About Ancestors Who Served
 * Best Internet Sites for Genealogy - New Resources You Can Count On
 * Primary & Secondary Sources - Land, Probate, Census, & Personnel Records


 * THREE WAYS TO REGISTER:
 * Email familyhistoryfair1@gmail.com;
 * Visit the Northwest Florida Family History Fair 2018 Facebook page;
 * Drop in at any of the five local Family History Centers to register (Crestview, Defuniak Springs, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Sandestin)


 * FURTHER INFORMATION:
 * Bill Everett - 850-892-3335 or bilthepil@gmail.com or
 * John Ward - 937-726-0678 or jtward7404@earthlink.net

FUTURE FAMILY HISTORY CLASSES: Under construction...check back for updates & schedule.

 * The Research Cycle
 * How to use GET HELP
 * Introduction to Indexing
 * Descendancy Research
 * Inferential Research Methods
 * Making the most of MEMORIES
 * Understanding the FamilySearch Catalog
 * DNA: A layman's An Idiot's understanding
 * Tips & Tricks to FamilySearch Family Tree
 * Using phone apps to enhance your genealogy
 * How to use the RESEARCH WIKI to my advantage
 * Tearing down the mortar of your genealogical brick walls
 * Ancestry.com vs FamilySearch: Which one should I use?
 * How to use the SEARCH capability of FamilySearch Family Tree
 * An Overview of the 16 Premium Sites offered at the Family History Center


 * LDS-FOCUSED CLASSES (nonmembers are welcome to attend)
 * How to get a name to the Temple?
 * Rules for taking a name to the Temple - Getting permission
 * What goes on inside a Mormon Temple - Sacred not Secret
 * FIND, TAKE, TEACH: The Church's Program for Temple Work
 * Helping children and Youth to become interested in their Family History

🇺🇸 CENTER CAPABILITY

 * Databases and Software. This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives FREE access to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions...see LINKS below.


 * Hardware and Equipment - The center has two operating online computers and a printer for your use.

🇺🇸 CENTER SERVICES

 * NEED PERSONALIZED ONE-ON-ONE HELP? Contact us.
 * Marc Strickland 850-855-0319 or marcstrickland5@gmail.com (emphasis on FamilySearch Family Tree)
 * Linda Strickland 850-855-0318 or serenity4142@gmail.com (emphasis on Ancestry)

🇺🇸 RESOURCES IN THE LOCAL AREA

 * UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA CENTER FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING
 * Technical Genealogy
 * ABCs of Genealogy
 * Open Genealogy Forum, 8 weeks, 1.5 hrs, Fridays 0830; 1015; 1300
 * NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE CONTINUING EDUCATION
 * Expanding Your Family Genealogy:  30 Jan-6 Mar
 * Beginning Genealogy:  31 Jan-7 Mar FamilySearch Family Tree (fall semester)
 * GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF OKALOOSA COUNTY meets regularly at the Fort Walton Beach Library at 10:30 AM on the fourth Saturday of each month

🇺🇸 LINKS
PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION WEBSITES below are FREE to you as long as they are accessed at the Family History Center Services Portal. If you try to access them using the links below, the websites will require you to have an individual subscription. Come to the Family History Center and access them for FREE of charge. The dollar amount is what is being paid by the Church for this premium capability. The estimated cost savings to the patron for accessing these websites at the Family History Center is over $1,000.00 per year.

ACCESS NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES: Unknown cost..in research

http://www.newspaperarchive.com

DESCRIPTION: "NewspaperArchive.com is the world's largest online newspaper archive. Featuring billions of articles from historical newspapers around the U.S. and the world, NewspaperARCHIVE makes exploring history and genealogy easy and fun. Discover fascinating news in archived newspapers hundreds of years old—including obituaries, birth announcements, sports articles, comics, and more—to fill in the life stories you are interested in. And share those stories with others through our community at Our NewspaperARCHIVE. All of our historical newspapers are full-page and fully searchable. Try exploring the above site, and discover your history today!"

'''ALEXANDER STREET PRESS, AMERICAN CIVIL WAR: Unknown cost

http://alexanderstreet.com

DESCRIPTION: 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 1600 and 2000 A.D.

AMERICAN ANCESTORS: $89.95

http://www.americanancestors.org/

DESCRIPTION: Advance your family history research today with AmericanAncestors.org! Created by the expert staff at 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: $120.00

http://www.ancestry.com/

DESCRIPTION: 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. It is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.

ARKIVDIGITAL ONLINE: $185.64

DESCRIPTION: 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 install the current client version of ArkivDigital Online.

FAMNET: Unknown cost..in research

http://www.nzgdb.co.nz/

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

FINDMYPAST: $34.95

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

DESCRIPTION: 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. 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 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.

FOLD3 (formerly Footnote.com): $79.95

http://www.fold3.com/

DESCRIPTION: 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.

-Troubleshooting: Cannot access Fold3.com through the Family History Center Portal (54428).

GENEANET: $50.00

http://geneanet.org

DESCRIPTION: 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.

KINPOINT PREMIUM: $49.90

http://kinpoint.com

DESCRIPTION: 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: $99.95

http://myheritagelibraryedition.com/research

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

PAPER TRAIL: $100.00

http://www.paper-trail.org/

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

'''PROQUEST OBITUARY LISTINGS: Unknown cost

http://obituaries.proquest.com/obitsweb/obits/do/home

DESCRIPTION: 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.

PUZZILA PREMIUM SERVICES: $39.95

http://puzzilla.org

DESCRIPTION: Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree.

'''THE 19th CENTURY BRITISH LIBRARY NEWSPAPERS DIGITAL ARCHIVE: Unknown cost

http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/

DESCRIPTION: 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.

Notes and troubleshooting
 * If centers have problems accessing the premium family history websites in their Family History Center Portal, click Premium Family History Website from the Family History Services Portal home page. Scroll down, and follow the instructions under "No Website Access."
 * If any of the premium sites prompt for sign-in credentials but other premium sites work, clear your browser cookies. Close the browser, and then restart the computer, and try again.
 * Family history center consultants can help you access the center's Family History Center Portal, where these premium family history websites are offered. Additional details, instructional information, and online support for resolving problems with the website features, website navigation, and so forth are provided on the vendor's website.

🇺🇸 VOLUNTEERING AT THE FAMILY HISTORY CENTER
• You do NOT have to be an LDS member to volunteer. We welcome anyone who would like to help others. Let us know what your abilities are & what interests you. We can do the rest.

• We need help with INDEXING. Training is minimal and the need is great.