Welcome!
Thank you for registering for our 2024 NARA Research Tour, which is taking place Sunday, March 24 - Saturday, March 30, 2024!
Discover the wealth of family history resources held at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the nation’s capital. Delve into military records, immigration and naturalization files, federal land grants, and beyond. Our week-long, guided research trip to the National Archives—including a trip to Archives II, College Park—will present you with a genealogical goldmine.
Program includes:
- Six-night hotel stay at the State Plaza Hotel
- Orientation to the National Archives
- Lectures from American Ancestors genealogists
- One, thirty-minute, pre-tour Zoom consultation with an expert genealogist to help prepare for your research
- Two, thirty-minute, in-person consultations with expert genealogists during the tour
- Group meals (opening and closing dinner)
- Pre-program preparatory webinar and resources
- FREE access to Navigating our Nation's Federal Records online course, which includes five 90-minute lecture recordings and handouts.
Please reach out to Kathleen Mackenzie, Education and Programming Manager, at kathleen.mackenzie@nehgs.org if you have any questions prior to the program.
Pre-Tour Preparatory Presentation
Presented by: Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist, and Kathleen Mackenzie, Education and Programming Manager.
Learn how to prepare for your time in Washington, DC and at NARA, make the most of your one-on-one consultations, and more!
Pre-Tour To-Dos
American Ancestors Participant Information and Research Interests Form (Required for all)
Please fill out this Participant Information and Research Interests Form by March 1, 2024. Your answers on this form will assist our genealogists in preparing for your consultations!
If you have any questions about filling out this form, please contact Education and Programming Manager, Kathleen Mackenzie at kathleen.mackenzie@nehgs.org. Please note that you have the option to save your form and return to it by clicking the "Save" button at the bottom of the page- you will be prompted to create a free account on jotform.com in order to do so, however.
NARA Orientation (Required for those who have not visited NARA in DC in the last year)
This online orientation takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. You will receive a certificate once it's complete, which you will need to present when we arrive to NARA. You can either print the certificate or a take a picture of it with your phone. Complete the online orientation here:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/uK5NGkSpg74JHLTOcGPmM4e94MJyxQgD#/
NARA Registration (Required for those who have not visited NARA in DC in the last year)
This is a quick form, and the registration will automatically go into NARA's system. There is no need to print it or take a picture to show that you've completed it.
https://researchercommunity.force.com/securitycentral/s/kiosk-registration
American Ancestors Navigating Our Nation's Federal Records Online Course (Optional but recommended)
In 2022 we offered an online course, Navigating Our Nation's Federal Records. The course includes five 90-minute classes covering a wealth of information about records available at NARA. We're making this archived course available to you as part of your tour benefits!
Link to Course Content: https://www.americanancestors.org/navigating-our-nations-federal-records-2022
Schedule
| Sunday, March 24 | |
| After 3:00pm | Check-in at State Plaza Hotel |
| 4:00 - 5:00pm | Welcome and Introductions (State Plaza Hotel) - Your Guide to this Week |
| 5:00 - 6:00pm | Lecture: Military Records at National Archives I and II - David Allen Lambert, State Plaza Hotel, Ambassador Room |
| 6:00 - 8:00pm | Opening Dinner |
| Monday, March 25 | |
| 8:45am | Coach Pick-up at State Plaza Hotel for travel to NARA |
| 9:00 - 10:30am | Researcher Registration and Orientation |
| 10:30 - 5:00pm | Personal Research |
| 5:00pm | Coach Pick-up at NARA |
| Tuesday, March 26 | |
| 8:45am | Coach Pick-up at State Plaza Hotel for travel to NARA |
| 9:00 - 5:00pm | Personal Research and Consultations |
| 5:00pm | Coach Pick-up at NARA |
| Wednesday, March 27 | |
| 8:00 a.m. | Coach Pick-up at State Plaza Hotel for travel to Archives II |
| 10:00 - 5:00pm | Personal Research at Archives II |
| 5:00pm | Coach Pick-up at Archives II |
| Thursday, March 28 | |
| 8:45am | Coach Pick-up at State Plaza Hotel for travel to NARA |
| 9:00 - 5:00pm | Personal Research and Consultations |
| 2:00-3:00pm | Lecture: Federal Land Records: Bounty Land, Land Entry Files, and Homesteads - Rhonda R. McClure, NARA Meeting Room |
| 5:00pm | Coach Pick-up at NARA |
| Friday, March 29 | |
| 8:45am | Coach Pick-up at State Plaza Hotel for travel to NARA |
| 9:00 - 5:00pm | Personal Research and Consultations |
| 5:00pm | Coach Pick-up at NARA |
| 6:00 - 8:30pm | Closing dinner |
| Saturday, March 30 | |
| Before 12:00pm | Check out of State Plaza Hotel |
(Schedule is subject to change)
Packet Materials
Tour Participant Research Interests
Lecture Handout: Military Records at National Archives I and II
Lecture Handout: Federal Land Records: Bounty Land, Land Entry Files, and Homesteads
Restaurants Near NARA (Digital only- not in physical packet.)
David's Lecture Slides (Large): Military Records at NARA I & II (Digital only- not in physical packet.)
David's Lecture Slides (Small Slides with Notes Field): Military Records at NARA I & II (Digital only- not in physical packet.)
