“Location, Location, Location: How Genealogical Research Can Benefit From Historical Maps” is the focus of the afternoon’s presentation. Identifying the towns and villages where our ancestors used to live can be a critical step in finding relevant sources of genealogical information. However, locating some of those places often becomes quite a challenging task, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, where the use of multiple languages, spelling or transliteration errors, appearance of similar names in different locations and countries, frequent name changes and shifting national borders introduce additional complications. Readily available web-based resources—including digital repositories of historical maps and geographic information databases—can help to overcome many of those challenges. This presentation will demonstrate the methods and techniques of using such resources to facilitate locating ancestral towns in Central and Eastern Europe.
Ed Mitukiewicz is a mathematician and computer scientist by education, researcher and technology consultant by profession, and amateur cartographer and genealogist by coincidence. Ed has a particular weakness for historical maps - rumor has it that he never met one he did not like. Ed worked as editor, translator and map consultant during the production of the 2015 “Raise the Roof” documentary film about reconstructing the roof and painted ceiling of an 18th century wooden synagogue of Gwozdziec. He presented illustrative scenarios of using historical maps in genealogical research at various genealogy conferences in Poland, Israel and the United States.
Registration is required to attend this free virtual program. The link can be found at the NEIJGS website at www.NEIndianaJGS.org/upcoming-events/.