St. Cloud Area Genealogists

02/23/2026

02/21/2026

A massive effort to sequence the DNA of Vikings across Europe was published in 2020. The study revealed family histories of Vikings who set forth—and died—far from home.

Learn more on : https://scim.ag/4rncYIt

02/19/2026

Community histories are an indispensable source of information about the stories of those places. Often written using first-hand accounts of people and events, they provide a great starting point for aiding in research here at the museum.

Pictured are a sampling of those histories in our collections.

02/18/2026

Minnesota Genealogical Society is accepting proposals for breakout sessions for the 2026 NorthStar Conference, October 30 and 31, 2026. The theme is Delights and Frights: Your Family Stories. More information here: https://mngs.org/North-Star-2026-RFP

02/16/2026

Sign up for our free online program "Researching Ships and Maritime History in Genealogy: ShipIndex.org and Much More," (February 25, 2026, 6–7 p.m. ET | Online via Zoom)

Ships play a critical role in genealogical research, but research can be challenging, especially when many vessels share the same name. Learn from Peter McCracken about a variety of methods for finding information about ships, from his ShipIndex.org website to historical newspaper databases and beyond.

This is a free program, but registration is required: https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/events/researching-ships-and-maritime-history-genealogy-shipindexorg-and-much-more

02/14/2026

Free Online Coroner Records - Updated - Indiana

The total is 375 collection links from 41 states. I have found a few of my ancestors in these records. They are definitely worth your research time.

There are 18 collections from Indiana.

Check it out at https://theancestorhunt.com/coroner-records.html

02/12/2026

Stearns History Museum Presents Zapp Historian Award

ST. CLOUD, MN, FEBRUARY 10, 2026 – The Stearns History Museum Board of Directors has chosen Marian Rengel and Mike Knaak as the recipients of the Zapp Historian Award for 2025. The Zapp Historian award is presented annually in recognition of significant contributions to the preservation, interpretation, or promotion of Stearns County history. The contribution can be broad, including leadership, preservation, financial contribution, interpretation, and/or other substantial actions and efforts. It can be a single or lifetime contribution. The award is named in honor of the Zapp family.

Marian Rengel worked for the St. Cloud Times as a writer and editor for almost 30 years. In 2003, she was a founding member of the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL), which uses state funded grants to digitize and host archival materials online at no cost. Stearns History Museum was a pilot contributor to MDL and to date has contributed almost 450 objects. MDL now hosts over 60,000 objects from over 200 contributors. For years, Marian has volunteered at SHM where she writes articles for Crossings and also processes and catalogs the St. Cloud Times Photograph Collection.

Mike Knaak was the successor to Myron Hall, becoming a photographer at the St. Cloud Times in 1975. For over 40 years, Mike chronicled St. Cloud area history in photography. He served as the paper's photo editor and won awards for his photographic talent. He volunteers at the SCSU Archives and assisted archivist Tom Steman in establishing a 3D photography project. He also began volunteering at SHM in 2023, processing the St. Cloud Times Photograph Collection.

The award was presented in St. Cloud on February 10, 2026 at the Stearns History Museum. Tom Steman from SCSU and John Bodette, long-time editor of the St. Cloud Times, joined board members, staff, and volunteers for the celebration. Thank you to Marian and Mike for your years of dedicated service to recording and archiving the visual history of the region. Your continued work will benefit generations of Central Minnesota residents to come.

02/11/2026

Discover your family history with Ancestral Findings. Get free lookups, explore genealogy research guides, and uncover the past one ancestor at a time.

02/10/2026

This Friday at 2:00pm CT via Zoom! What IS 10 Million Names???
10 Million Names is dedicated to recovering the names of the estimated ten million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in pre- and post-colonial America (specifically, the territory that would become the United States) between the 1500s and 1865. 10 Million Names is engaging a collaborative network of expert genealogists, cultural organizations, and community-based family historians.
Join us as we welcome Cynthia Evans, the Research Director of American Ancestors, to learn more about their new project, 10 Million Names.
Register Here: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/113143/10-million-names-zoom

02/08/2026

Our Ancestor Source Finder tool can help find U.S. ancestors by giving suggestions for records to look for. It can be particularly helpful in brick wall situations.