Wisconsin State Genealogical Society (WSGS)

02/23/2026

Free Zoom-Only Presentation by Rock County Genealogical Society
Located at 816 State Street in Madison, the Wisconsin Historical Society holds one of the top five genealogical collections in the country, with materials from across the U.S. and Canada. Reference Librarian, Jill Fuller will help you discover more about the extensive family history collections at the WHS, including newspapers, family history books, court records, and more. Learn how to search the catalog and website to find materials on your family, both during a visit to WHS and remotely from home.
How to Attend: Anyone is invited to attend this free Zoom presentation on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 PM. This is a Zoom-only presentation and must be watched at the scheduled time. The Zoom link, passcode and audience handout can all be found at the RCGS website at: www.rcgswi.org/events--speakers.

The RCGS Speakers & Programs page provides information about dates, times, location (including map directions), speakers biographies for the Society's FREE program, seminar, workshop and field trip topics.

02/21/2026

British Columbia Genealogical Society member and professional genealogist Kathy Chung is offering a fun, supportive, small-group genealogy research trip to Edinburgh from June 13-20, 2026. The tour includes seven nights hotel and seven breakfasts, 3 days of supported research at Scotland's People, a day-long bus tour out of the city, a closing night dinner with Scottish music, and pre-trip information and guidance. Enjoy the company of other family history buffs while you deepen your knowledge of your roots in the country of your ancestors. For this inaugural trip, Kathy is offering genealogy society members who register by March 15 a $200CAD discount. Simply mention your genealogy society membership in the "anything else you'd like us to know" section of the registration form. Details and registration at

Genealogy research trips to Edinburgh, Scotland, with a professional genealogist. Unlock your family history and experience a taste of Scotland.

02/21/2026

Naturalization: The Path to U.S. Citizenship
Mar 3
7 - 8:30PM Central
Join genealogist Teresa Steinkamp McMillin to learn about the history of naturalization and procedural changes.

https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Event/EV10263

02/18/2026

https://www.copalam.us/

Colorado Palatines to America Spring Seminar. Seminar is in-person and by ZOOM 18 April 2026, 9:30 AM - 4:30 pm The Colorado Chapter of Palatines to America is pleased to announce that Fritz Juengling has accepted our invitation to be the speaker at our Spring seminar, 18 April 2026. About Fritz Doc...

02/16/2026

The deadline for the Governor’s Archives Awards (GAA) is fast approaching! The Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board will be accepting nominations until the deadline on Tuesday, March 10th, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

The GAA recognizes programs, practitioners, or significant archival work for their achievement, innovation, or creativity in increasing preservation, access, or use of archival materials.

If you have already submitted a nomination, we sincerely thank you for your participation! For more details, see

The Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board (WHRAB) and the Wisconsin Historical Society invite nominations for the Governor's Archives Awards

02/16/2026

Winnebago/Boone County Genealogical Society
RPL, East Branch
6685 East State Street, Rockford, IL
2026 Programs

Saturday, 3/7/2026 at 1:30pm – Using AI Responsibly to Recover/Restore Old Photos, with Bob Bertolasi. Explore how to use AI responsibly in restoring old photographs, with a focus on accuracy, ethics, and avoiding misleading enhancements in genealogical research. (In person and Zoom)

Saturday, 4/11/2026 at 1:30pm – Dark Days of Illinois History: Prohibition, with Kathi Kresol. Explore the dark side of Illinois history with a thrilling look at Prohibition, when infamous criminals turned the state into their own playground of shootouts, heists, and hideouts. Rare photographs and little-known stories reveal the shadowy legacy of Illinois’s most notorious “businessmen.” (In person and Zoom)

Saturday, 5/2/2026 at 1:30pm – Self-Publishing with Maureen Lang. Learn to publish on KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. Bring your laptop for hands on. MUST have an Amazon account to access KDP. (In person and Zoom)

Saturday, 6/6/2026 at 1:30pm – American at 250, with Scott Norrick. For the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, this presentation will guide you in discovering Revolutionary War ancestors using key archives, resources, and strategies while exploring both Patriot and Loyalist stories. (In person and Zoom)

Saturday, 9/5/2026 at 1:30pm – SAR/DAR/C.A.R, with Sharon Thomasson and Darlene Schoepski. Learn what the SAR, DAR, and C.A.R. are all about and how to join these patriotic lineage societies honoring Revolutionary ancestors. (In person and Zoom)

Saturday, 10/3/2026 at 1:30pm – Special 40th Anniversary

Saturday, 11/7/2026 at 1:30pm - 250 Years Later - Everyday American Patriot Heroes, Robert Campbell, SR and His Family with Vicki Hahn. Discover Robert Campbell Sr.’s powerful story of frontier life, loss, and service during the Revolutionary era. (In person and Zoom)

2026 Special Programs Hosted by WBCGS

Saturday, 3/21/2026 at 1:30pm - Rockford's Only Monument to Women: Creating a Suffrage Centennial Sculpture During a Pandemic! - Discover how 13 organizations and over 200 volunteers came together to create Rockford’s Women’s Suffrage Plaza, a unique mosaic honoring the 19th Amendment, local suffrage leaders, and future voters, while exploring the stories, symbols, and educational resources behind the sculpture.

Check us out on Facebook for updates and added events.

wbcgensociety@gmail.com WBCGS - Home (wbcgensociety.org)

The Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society (of Illinois) exists to: Encourage and support genealogical researchers. Promote the discovering and preserving of valued genealogical resources of...

02/16/2026

"Using AI Responsibly to Recover and Restore Old Photos"
Speaker: Bob Bertolasi

WBCGS – Regular Meeting Program
Saturday, March 7th, at 1:30 p.m. CDT
Meeting Location: Rockford Public Library, East Branch,
6685 East State St., Rockford IL

In person and Zoom.
Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ehd_exX5SNOs2ZjzTkPRvg

With rapid developments in artificial intelligence, it’s more important than ever to talk about responsible use of AI in genealogy, especially when restoring or recovering historic photographs. New tools appear constantly, and while many are heavily promoted by genealogy and heritage platforms, much of that attention is driven by marketing rather than accuracy.

Over the past year, ongoing discussion within the genealogy community and emerging ethics committees have highlighted the need for transparency, faithfulness, and care when using AI with historical images. Some platforms, notably Gemini, are gaining recognition for producing restorations that many genealogists consider more accurate and respectful of the original photograph. Interestingly, much of Gemini’s capability is currently available at no cost for limited daily use, raising important questions about standards, expectations, and where the performance bar should be set going forward.

This seminar explores how to use AI thoughtfully and ethically, ensuring that restored images support honest genealogical research rather than unintentionally rewriting history.

Bob Bertolasi graduated from East High School, Bob served in the U.S. Air Force until 1962, later earning a degree in General Science from Rockford College with majors in Physics, Mathematics, and Psychology. His career has spanned roles at Ingersoll Milling, Kelsey Hayes Gunite Foundry and Twin Disc, and has worked in 31 countries and logged over 1.8 million air miles. Now retired, Bob joined Rock Valley College’s Center for Learning in Retirement in 2012 and is currently an instructor, committee member and media specialist. In addition, he enjoys a lifelong interest in photography and showcasing his customized 1950 Ford at car shows.

To register in advance for this program visit our page for the Zoom link. facebook.com/WBCGS! or on our website www.wbcgensociety.org

For more information, call Diane McCue at (815) 543-2287

02/16/2026

Date of Event: Friday 27 March 2026
Start Time: 1:00 PM Central - Member meeting precedes Program
Event Title: Group Tour of the American Geographical Society Library at UWM
Presenter Name: Georgia Brown, Public Services Librarian
Description of Event: American Geographical Society Library at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, in the Golda Meir Library
The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), one of the premier collections of its kind in North America, contains nearly 2 million items supporting instruction, research and outreach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and around the world. The collection has been at UW-Milwaukee since 1978, and through the years, the collections have expanded and presently comprise items including maps, atlases, books, journals, pamphlets, photographs, slides, Landsat images, and digital spatial data.
Georgia Brown, Public Services Librarian, will begin our tour with a presentation on the resources in the AGS Library, followed by time to browse materials on display having genealogical research significance such as old maps and gazetteers. Come armed with any geographical questions you may have. A short business meeting will precede Georgia’s presentation.
IN PERSON Location: Golda Meir Library, Third Floor East Wing, 2311 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, WI
Campus Parking: Please allow yourself extra time when visiting. Our visit coincides with spring break, and on street parking may be available. There is no free parking on campus. The University's Modii app can provide you with up to the minute parking accessibility information.

02/12/2026

https://azsos.libcal.com/calendar/starl/azgenday26

The Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board and the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records present a free, virtual event: The 6th Annual Arizona Genealogy...

02/11/2026

,

Upcoming event information:
Mapping Metes and Bounds with Deed Mapper Software Arlington Heights Memorial Library and Zoom
Date: 21 Feb 2026 10:00 AM CST

Mapping Metes and Bounds with Deed Mapper Software
by David M. McCorkle
This lecture demonstrates how to use the Deed Mapper software to plat metes and bounds from your own input as well as from files on their website uploaded by the public. Attendees will learn techniques for combining different plats on a map to build a community. An introduction to metes and bounds and land records in general will be provided, along with using Artificial Intelligence to help with this process.
David M. McCorkle is a land records and mapping expert and genealogy lecturer. He has been writing computer software for over 50 years and is now working with Artificial Intelligence tools. He is creator of the free website https://nclandgrants.com with over 1.2 million images of original records. He is president of the NC Genealogical Society, and on the board of several other genealogical groups. For a detailed biography see https://www.genealogicalspeakersguild.org/directory-of-members/user/367/.

If offered Virtual or Hybrid, you must register to receive the Zoom meeting info. Non-members will be charged $5 for the Zoom link.
To register: Mapping Metes and Bounds with Deed Mapper Software

Best regards,

CAGGNI

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High quality images of North Carolina Land Grant documents along with searchable data for genealogy and historical research.

02/11/2026

https://wisconsinhistory.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=60495b4e033e9f60b32a6607b587aadd.6567&nosocial=1