Whatever happened to Uncle Seamus who left home to work on the railroads in the 1860s? Which families made the arduous journey along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro to settle New Mexico? Who are my Arikaras ancestors?

Hear about the tools and resources that can uncover answers to these and other family history mysteries embedded in the various pioneering, native and immigration stories of the American West at “Behind the Genealogy Reference Desk“, the Midwinter Genealogy Institute presented by the RUSA History Section.

Participants will learn from local experts on the subject about how such resources as the Colorado Rail Museum and the Colorado State Archives can assist coast-to-coast family history research efforts. Speakers will also address ways to overcome the research barrier presented by closed-record environments.

Complete details, including registration instructions and a list of presenters, can be found on the RUSA blog:
http://rusa.ala.org/blog/2008/11/11/explore-ancestral-roots-of-american-west-at-midwinter-genealogy-institute/