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West Virginia
Archives & History News
Volume IV, No. 4
June 2003

HERITAGEQUEST ONLINE

From the Editor:

We are delighted to see our number of out-of-state visitors increasing after a decline following the September 11 tragedy. As in the past, visitors' states of residence range from our neighbor states of Pennsylvania and Ohio all the way to California, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska. Some of our travelers are authors of family histories and other works, and have donated copies to the Library. Most are impressed with the amount and variety of materials available for their research. We hope all return home with warm memories of the home of their ancestors.

HeritageQuest Online

The West Virginia Archives and History Library now offers the services of HeritageQuest Online to its Reading Room patrons on a limited trial basis. This service is being provided with Library Services and Technology Act funds, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the West Virginia Library Commission. Longtime family history researchers will be familiar with HeritageQuest as a provider of genealogical data and supplies since 1983. In 2001, HeritageQuest was purchased by ProQuest. According to the company, the combination of HeritageQuest with ProQuest resources represents the most comprehensive collection of genealogical information available anywhere.

Heritage Quest Online combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular UMI Genealogy and Local History collection of over 25,000 books and periodicals. The microfilm collection is being digitized over a two- to three-year period, beginning with genealogies, followed by local histories, serials and primary source materials. The collection covers the 13 colonies first, then moves westward, so the scanning is being done in that sequence. Census records are also being added on an on-going basis. When complete, HeritageQuest Online will contain every extant U.S. federal census record in digital format. These records will be indexed, searchable and fully browseable.

These records and other primary evidence will be integrated with narrative materials that add color to the past. Many of the narratives are not available to researchers anywhere else. They include monographs and serials, local histories, tax rolls, cemetery lists, military rosters, wills and church, court and school records. New content is added weekly and can be tracked by clicking on the HeritageQuest "What's New" feature (not "What's New" on our Web site). Each year new primary sources and up to 1500 new book titles from such institutions as the Newberry Library, the Genealogical Society of Utah and the New York Public Library will be added.

The system offers the following search capabilities:

We are still working out some kinks and quirks in our hardware and software, particularly the interface of our security system with the HeritageQuest system. Patrons will be able to search and view everything on the computer screen, but may not be able to print, e- mail or download to diskette every time. We ask for your patience and hope you will work with us as we explore this option for increasing the number and types of sources we can make available to you. An online demo is available on the ProQuest Web site: http://www.il.proquest.com/umi/hqdemo/.

As part of the trial agreement, we will be keeping notes of staff and patron comments regarding HeritageQuest in terms of its usefulness, ease of operation, patron accessibility, etc. If you use HeritageQuest in the Archives and History Library, please be sure to tell the staff any pluses or minuses regarding your session. You may also direct e-mails or telephone calls with your comments regarding your use of HeritageQuest in the Archives and History Library to Bobby Taylor, Library Manager (304-558- 0230, Ext. 163, or [email protected]) and to Susan Scouras, Librarian (304-558-0230, Ext. 742, or [email protected]).

NEW TITLES

Attention Archives and History Library visitors:

Beginning with this month's new titles and continuing for at least the next two months, only selected titles will be placed on the designated New Book shelves in the Library Reading Room for browsing. We have received a sizeable number of private donations recently, and have acquired a very large number of books transferred from the West Virginia Library Commission Library, resulting in too many new books to place them all in the New Book area. If you do not find the new title you seek in the New Book area, please check the Library's online Union Catalog for the call number, and proceed accordingly.

Who's Who in West Virginia: Who's Who Historical Society, 1983.

High Tide at Gettysburg: Glenn Tucker, 1995, copyright 1958.

The Private Mary Chestnut: The Unpublished Civil War Diaries: edited by C. Vann Woodward and Elisabeth Muhlenfeld, 1984.

A Williamsburg Galaxy: Burke Davis, 1968.

Colonial Virginia: by Harold B. Gill, Jr., 1968.

Snowbird Gravy and Dishpan Pie: Mountain People Recall: Patsy Moore Ginns, 1982.

A Founding Family: The Pinckneys of South Carolina: Frances Leigh Williams, 1978.

The Growth of Southern Civilization, 1790-1860: Clement Eaton, 1961.

The Imperial Rockefeller: A Biography of Nelson A. Rockefeller: Joseph E. Persico, 1982.

The Wreck of Old 97: Pat Fox, 1969.

The Growth of Southern Nationalism, 1848-1861: Avery Odelle Craven, 1953.

The Development of Southern Sectionalism, 1819-1948: Charles Sackett, 1948.

Origins of the New South: C. Vann Woodward, 1951.

Young Booker: Booker T. Washington's Early Days: Arna Bontemps, 1972.

In the Arms of the Mountain: An Intimate Journal of the Great Smokies: Elizabeth Seeman, 1961.

The Rockefeller Billions: Jules Abels, 1965.

Warrior: The Story of General George S. Patton, Jr.: by the editors of The Army Times, 1967.

Background to Glory: The Life of George Rogers Clark: John Bakeless, 1957.

Knight of the Confederacy: Gen. Turner Ashby: Frank Cunningham, 1960.

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years: Sarah and A. Elizabeth Delany, 1993.

Pocahontas and Her World: Philip L. Barbour, 1970.

Bridgeport: The Town and Its People: Avis Caynor, 1976.

Visitors to Monticello: edited by Merrill D. Peterson, 1989.

North Bend Rail Trail Guide: The Ritchie County Section: Rock S. Wilson and Dean Six, 1994.

Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address: Commemorative Papers by John Dos Passos and others: edited by Allan Nevins, 1964.

Southerners: Portrait of a People: Charles Kuralt with Irwin Glusker, 1986.

Colonial Maryland: A History: Aubrey C. Land, 1981.

Colonial Virginia: A History: Warren M. Billings, 1986.

Colonial Connecticut: A History: Robert J. Taylor, 1979.

Colonial Rhode Island: A History: Sydney V. James, 1975.

Colonial Pennsylvania: A History: Joseph E. Illick, 1976.

Colonial New York: A History: Michael Kammen, 1987, 1975.

Colonial Delaware: A History: John A. Munroe, 1978.

Colonial South Carolina: A History: Robert M. Weir, 1983.

The Story of Ellis Island: Willard A. Heaps, 1967. (Juvenile)

Pennsylvania: Seed of a Nation: Paul A. W. Wallace, 1962.

Transnational West Virginia: Ethnic Communities and Economic Change, 1840-1940: Edited by Ken Fones-Wolf and Ronald L. Lewis, 2003.

The Growing, Booming Years of St. Albans, WV: 1885-1910: Bill and Linda Troutman, 2003.

Short Creek Cemetery Records: Gwendolyn Mackey Hubbard and Bobbie Britt Elliott, 2003.

Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900: A Biographical Dictionary: Mary Sayre Haverstock, 1998.

Spindletop: James A. Clark, 1952.

Kanawha City Baptist Church 100th Birthday, January 5, 2003: The church, 2003.

Welcome to Fayette Baptist Association: Shirley Donnelly, 1949.

Fiftieth Anniversary Program: The First Methodist Church, South Charleston, West Virginia: The church, 1960.

Roane County WV 1930 Census: Smithfield, Spencer & Walton Districts: Wes Cochran, 2002.

Calhoun County WV 1930 Census: Wes Cochran, 2002.

The Booker T. Washington Papers: Volumes 7, 8, 9 and 10: Louis R. Harlan, 1977-81.

Christ Episcopal Church, Wellsburg, West Virginia: An Historic Sketch, 1800-1950: Frederick G. Weber, 1950.

Touched by Fire: A Photographic Portrait of the Civil War: Volume 2: William C. Davis, 1986.

Dedication of the Sanctuary: Wesley Methodist Church [Morgantown, W. Va.]: The church, 1951.

Minutes of the Annual Session of the New Liberty Regular Primitive Baptist Association: The association, for the years 1916, 1917 and 1920.

Mountaineer's Honor: John Michael Jarvis, 2003.

The White House Gallery of Official Portraits of the Presidents: George Raywood Devitt, 1916.

Arms and Equipment of the Union: Time-Life Books, 1991.

Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows & Quivers: Steve Allely, 1999.

Irish Libraries: Archives, Museums & Genealogical Centres: Robert K. O'Neill, 2002.

Also, a box of brochures, etc., about Ireland and Irish genealogy has been placed in the Ready Reference section of the Library. Ask staff for assistance.

NOTE: The following pamphlets were published by the Charleston Industrial Corporation in 1920 to entice new businesses to locate in Nitro, WV:

The City of Nitro: a great industrial center, planned in advance by prominent engineers, and completely built by the United States government.

Labor Conditions at Nitro West Va.

The Public Utilities of Nitro.

Schooling at Nitro West Va. [Damaged some photos cut out.]

Report on Housing.

Active Industries In and About Nitro, W. Va.

BLUE BOOKS AVAILABLE

We have an assortment of surplus West Virginia Blue Books covering a variety of years available to the general public. The Blue Books are free to anyone who can pick them up from the Archives and History Library during regular library hours. We regret that we can not take any requests requiring shipping of the books, postpaid or otherwise.

MUSEUM IN THE PARK IN
CHIEF LOGAN STATE PARK
NOW OPEN

"Museum in the Park A Place for Art, History, and Ideas" opened May 31 with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by officials of the Division of Culture and History and West Virginia Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin. According to Division Commissioner Nancy P. Herholdt, changing exhibits and displays at the new museum will feature artwork and historical items from the collection of the West Virginia State Museum, with regular programs scheduled to complement the displays. Both photographs and moving images from the West Virginia State Archives collection have been incorporated in the new museum.

Exhibits scheduled at the museum from May 31 through October include a display of coalfield photography from Fayette and Raleigh counties, as well as artifacts related to the early coal mining and railroad industries in southern West Virginia. An exhibit about the lives of women in West Virginia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries will feature an 1830s spinning wheel from Mason County; a yarn winder from Gilmer County; a vintage sewing machine and other sewing implements from Greenbrier County; and historic photographs from Lewis and Berkeley counties. An exhibit of items from Logan County collections, including photographs and Native American artifacts, also will be featured.

Chief Logan State Park is located four miles north of Logan on State Route 10. Facilities include a conference and convention center, campground, outdoor amphitheater, and wildlife center. For more information about the Museum in the Park, call Stan Bumgardner, assistant director of programming for Culture and History, at (304) 558-0220, Ext. 121, or visit http://www.wvculture.org/sites/Logan/chieflogan.html.

ARCHIVES PHOTO COPYING
PROJECT COMES TO
CHIEF LOGAN STATE PARK

As part of our on-going effort to collect and preserve photographs, Archives and History staff will be at the new Museum in the Park, Chief Logan State Park, on Saturday, June 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to copy old photographs that document the history of the Logan County area. Local individuals and organizations are encouraged to bring in photographs of historical interest. Black and white photographs that show businesses, street scenes, social and civic events, disasters, people at work and at play, and family gatherings are of particular interest. Recent color photos usually are not copied unless they document significant events such as the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster. Copies will be added to the Archives collection and made available to the public. Selections from the photos copied may be displayed periodically at the Museum in the Park.

For additional information you may contact Debra Basham, Archivist, Archives and History, (304) 558- 0230, Ext. 702, or e-mail her at [email protected]. "Frequently Asked Questions" about photo copying are posted at http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvsafa q.html#copy. The June 2001 issue of West Virginia Archives and History News (posted at http://www.wvculture.org/history/news.html) also featured our photograph copying project.

SUMMER INTERN

Archives and History staff members welcome Jill Hall of St. Albans, WV, a recent graduate of Fairmont State College, where she majored in history and minored in music. She will be working with Pat Pleska for the Veterans Memorial Archive this summer. Jill plans to attend Columbia University in the fall to study historic preservation. We hope Jill has a productive and interesting summer in the Archives!

NEW DEPARTMENT OF
ADMINISTRATION CAPITOL
COMPLEX PARKING RULES

Effective July 1, 2003, parking in the Capitol Complex metered lots will cost $.50 per hour and payment will be required from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on state holidays. The security guards may write up to four tickets per vehicle per day, with each ticket for overtime parking having a fine of $5.00. Fines not paid within ten days will be doubled, not to exceed $20.00. A civil summons may be issued for fines not paid within fourteen days. A vehicle that accumulates ten unpaid tickets can be towed or booted. Tickets can be written at any time for a vehicle improperly parked ($10.00) or illegally parked in areas indicated as handicapped ($100.00), legislative or reserved parking ($10.00).

Please bring change! No change is available from the guards or in the parking area itself. Archives and History Library patrons can obtain change in the Library, but should put at least one coin in the meter before leaving the parking lot to avoid ticketing.

WEST VIRGINIA DAY 2003
WHEELING INDEPENDENCE HALL

Wheeling Independence Hall offers two full days of events in celebration of West Virginia statehood. Beginning on Friday, June 20, with a morning of children's events, continuing with a noon time program of speeches and song that includes a birthday cake in honor of West Virginia, through a band concert, tours, and an evening of Debate on Legality of the Creation of West Virginia, the day offers something of interest to everyone. Activities continue with Civil War Saturday, June 21, with an encampment by Union and Confederate re-enactors, shooting and marching drills, mock battle, and a children's boot camp. Call (304) 238-1300 for details about scheduled events.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SUBMISSIONS REQUESTED

Please send information about West Virginia events of a genealogical or historical nature to Joe Geiger, (304) 558-0230, Ext. 165, or to [email protected] for inclusion on the Archives and History Web site Upcoming Events calendar, and on the Calendar of Events in the Archives and History News newsletter.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

PLEASE CHECK OUR WEB SITE (http://www.wvculture.org/history) FOR GENEALOGICAL and HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND FOR MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES LISTED BELOW.

"SHAPING THE CAPITOL COMPLEX: CASS GILBERT, INC.": Collection of photographs and documents on display in the Archives and History Library and on the Archives and History Web site.

WEST VIRGINIA DAY, JUNE 20: The Library will be open.*

WEST VIRGINIA DAY ACTIVITIES AT WEST VIRGINIA INDEPENDENCE HALL, JUNE 20: Wheeling. (For further information see http://www.wvculture.org/sites/wvihwvday03.html or call (304) 238-1300.)

CIVIL WAR SATURDAY, WEST VIRGINIA INDEPENDENCE HALL, JUNE 21: Wheeling. (See above.)

WEST VIRGINIA STATE ARCHIVES LOGAN COUNTY PHOTOCOPYING PROJECT, JUNE 28: Museum in the Park, Chief Logan State Park.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, JULY 4: The Library will be closed.

LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 1: The Library will be closed.

*Only the Archives Library will be staffed--all other Archives offices will be closed. The State Museum will be open any time the Archives Library is open. The West Virginia Library Commission Library in The Cultural Center is closed weekends and all holidays.

ARCHIVES AND HISTORY STAFF

Fredrick Armstrong: Director
Debra Basham: Archivist (photographs, special collections)
Constance Baston: Researcher (Veterans Memorial Archive)
Greg Carroll: Historian (Civil War, Native American history)
Dick Fauss: Archivist (microfilm and moving images collection)
Elaine Gates: Library Assistant (microfilming and microfilm repairs)
Joe Geiger: Assistant Director (Historian, Web page)
Ed Hicks: Photographer (archival photography, darkroom)
Mary Johnson: Historian (West Virginia History)
Terry Lowry: Library Assistant (Civil War)
Cathy Miller: Library Assistant (WV State documents, periodicals)
Sharon Newhouse: Secretary
Harold Newman: Library Assistant (microfilming, Revolutionary War)
Pat Pleska: Manager of the Veterans Memorial Archive
Susan Scouras: Librarian (cataloging, Kentucky, library collection, newsletter editor)
Jaime Simmons: Library Assistant (records of the 1700's and early 1800's, Pennsylvania)
Bobby Taylor: Library Manager
Nancy Waggoner: Office Assistant
Working on special projects: Allen Fowler. Intern: Jill Hall.
Volunteers: Carolyn Conner, Bill Kelley, Angela Tolbert, and Bob and Lucile Foster.

This newsletter is a publication of :

The Division of Culture and History
Archives and History
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25305-0300
(304) 558-0230
Nancy P. Herholdt, Commissioner

Permission to reprint articles from West Virginia Archives and History News is granted, provided: (1) The reprint is not used for commercial purposes, and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the reprinted material: Previously published in West Virginia Archives and History News, [Volume and issue numbers], [Month, Year], a publication of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.


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West Virginia Archives and History