To do research on the Hannover region and relatives that emmigrated from the Duchy of Braunschweig which would be a better research site: Ft. Wayne or the National Archives in Chicago.
Relatives all settled in Minnesota. I think I will only have time to visit one site.
Gail
Ft Wayne seems to be the place top go from what I have heard
To do research on the Hannover region and relatives that emmigrated from the Duchy of Braunschweig which would be a better research site: Ft. Wayne or the National Archives in Chicago. Relatives all settled in Minnesota. I think I will only have time to visit one site.
They are two different beasts. The NARA archives deal predominantly with Federal holdings from the different branches of the Federal government (not exclusively mind you, but for the most part). Some of the records that now comprise 'Federal holdings' were once state possessions, so the lines are blurred at times in a few areas (but one example: some court and naturalization records once part of district, county or local courts have been consolidated through the years under Federal directives - but only a portion of these types overall have qualified).
NARA Chicago: National Archives at Chicago | National Archives
If you can't discover some interesting things at NARA, you didn't prepare sufficiently. Plow through their online catalog for desired record resources. Their main genealogical record types spin around these main groupings:
- Census Records
- Military Records
- Immigration Records and Ship Passenger Lists
- Naturalization Records
- Land Records
- Court Records
The ACPL in Fort Wayne on the other hand runs the whole gamut of resources A through Z, something more resembling the 'all-in-wonder' FHL collection in Salt Lake City, only a bit reduced.
ACPL: http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/index.html
Throw in the Newberry Library while you're at it -- but another wonderful family history collection in the heart of the Windy City.
Newberry Library: http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/collections.html
Then you have the State Archives of each particular state, followed by the local (county) archive and clerk/recorder offices. It ALL adds up, each claiming record domains all their own.
Minnesota State Archive: http://www.mnhs.org/genealogy/index.htm
You're probably fortunate you only have time to do one. Each deserves sufficient attention unto itself! You won't regret any choice you make, if you head in prepared.
To do research on the Hannover region and relatives that emmigrated from the Duchy of Braunschweig which would be a better research site: Ft. Wayne or the National Archives in Chicago.
Relatives all settled in Minnesota. I think I will only have time to visit one site.
Gail
I wish I knew the answer to that question, but I don't. You might check the ACPL Web site at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/index.html
(They haven't changed the opening page for the genealogy department yet with the indication that they have reopened). Down the left side under Search, you will find access to various searches, including a microtext index, which has never been available online before. Except for Passenger lists, maps and a couple of Gazetteers, I don't see a lot in the microfilm under the International search Germany.
Note there is also an index titled "National Archives Microfilm." I don't know if that means that the ACPL has all the same microfilm as the National Archives or not, but it's possible.
Only you can decide where your time and money is best spent. You should do some research on what records are available in each site before you make your decision. Notice that if you are working at the ACPL you have access to Ancestry.com, HeritageQuestOnilne.com, NewEnglandAncestors.org and other things you might not subscribe to personally. You also have access to PERSI. There is a great deal you can to online to determine if you want to make a trip to Fort Wayne or Chicago.
Though I love Fort Wayne, I would be remiss if I did not point out that there are only two hotels downtown. Most hotels other than those downtown that I would recommend are along Washington Center Road and Lima Road. At least two of those have kitchenette suites. There are only two restaurants downtown not associated with the hotels that I would feel comfortable recommending -- one for comfort food and the other for fine dining. Comfort food is walking distance, fine dining is not in the dark. On a nice summer evening, yes, but even then not after dark. There are the usual tacos, burgers, etc. in the downtown area. The area from Coliseum Boulevard (where Glenbrook Square is located) north to Washington Center Road is restaurant row as well as hotel row.
The Carole Lombard Bed and Breakfast (she lived there as a child) is near downtown -- about 700 or 800 east on Main Street, though it may not have an address on Main Street. Walking distance? Maybe in the summer, but not now. It's near my office, and I walked it Saturday.
Fort Wayne does not have a thriving "night life," (some would disagree with that statement -- those young enough to enjoy our Landing area) but you could luck into an old movie showing down the street at the Embassy -- a historic theatre -- or a performance of the Philharmonic there or at the Shrine -- which is very much walking distance.