For Immediate Release: April 23, 2009

Contact: Joanna Tarrazi
Director
Newport Cultural Center
154 Main Street
Newport, ME 04953
207 - 368 - 2193
nccdirector@newportmaine.net

Genealogy Course Offered at the Newport Cultural Center

NEWPORT, MAINE - One of the major goals of the recently formed Newport Cultural Center (NCC) partnership is 
                 to provide the tools needed so that families can learn about their cultural heritage. The 
                 NCC, which houses the Newport Historical Society, Museum and Newport Public Library 
                 together in a new state of the art facility, also has a genealogical research room, 
                 and will be offering a series of Genealogy Classes on Saturdays from 10:00AM to Noon this 
                 May and June, taught by Ruth F. Blood, Volunteer Genealogist and Instructor for the 
                 Skowhegan Free Public Library, along with Intern K Hartsgrove, who is the Museum Curator 
                 at the NCC. The six week course is open to all. It will provide information for beginners and 
                 also for people who are at all stages of family history research. The course will be as follows: 
 
May 9th:  Genealogy Class:  Genealogical research overview; what to expect in researching family history; 
                            organizational tools and materials; verification and documentation; primary 
                            and secondary records; as well as getting started on your research.
May 16th: Genealogy Class:  United States federal census records: years of publication, information they 
                            contain, comparing records, discrepancies; agricultural, industrial and social 
                            census for Maine; repositories for Maine census records; a demonstration and 
                            practice with the Ancestry.com research tool that contains all states census 
                            records as well as other information; Canadian census records.
May 23rd:  Genealogy Class:  Early Maine counties and divisions; towns in 1790; vital records: samples, 
                             repositories, arrangement on microfilm, discrepancies, value to researchers; 
                             delayed returns; sources for pre - 1892 vital records in Maine; vital records 
                             for other states and for Canada; and Maine Old Cemetery Association records.
June 13th:  Genealogy Class:  Resources, such as the Maine Archives, Maine State Library, the Bangor Public 
                              Library, the Family History centers, the Fogler Library, the Taconnett Genealogy 
                              Library, the URSUS Library Catalog, Heritage Quest and free internet sites, 
                              as well as how to use and evaluate their data.
June 20th:  Genealogy Class:  Deeds and probate records; military records; immigration and naturalization 
                              records; town histories; and Daughters of the American Revolution and Mayflower 
                              descendants research.
June 27th:  Genealogy Class:  Obituaries and their value; family genealogies: how to use and evaluate them; 
                              writing queries, Daughters of the American Revolution and Mayflower descendants 
                              research; "stumbling blocks and brick walls"; and a review and summary.

Each class will provide instruction as well as individual practice. Assistance will also be provided after 
the class for those who may want additional instruction. There will be a registration fee of $5.00 per class 
or $30.00 for the full course, and individuals may participate in one or all of the classes. The registration 
will be just $25.00 for those who pre - register for all of the classes by Saturday, May 2nd. Pre - 
registration may be completed by calling (207)368-2193, (207) 368-2153, or by emailing nccdirector@newportmaine.net.