WMGS-Blog

Western Michigan Genealogical Society

Browsing Posts in NGS Family History Conference

On the west bank of the Grand River stands the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and, just to the north, are the grave sites of the late president and first lady. Ford, the only un-elected president of the United States and the only president from Michigan, and his wife, Betty, both grew up in Grand […]

Some are amazed to find that many libraries in Kent County have local historical organizations involved with a room of their own, right in the library! When checking federal census records or plat maps, you might find an ancestor from one of the cities or townships in Kent County, Michigan. A look into one of […]

The fourth floor of the downtown Grand Rapids Ryerson Library is a genealogist’s dream. It is filled with a variety of family history resources from all states, eastern Canada and Europe. The very best thing anyone can do before going to any library is to research resources. Search grpl.org/history before going to the Grand Rapids’ […]

Looking for parking at the NGS Conference?  There is plenty of parking in the downtown area, including 620 spaces at DeVos Place where the conference is being held.  Right across the street is the Government Center ramp with over 800 spaces.  These two ramps usually fill up pretty quickly, especially on weekdays.  If they are […]

Time for my second adventure!  No snow.  No rain.  This time from the west side of Grand Rapids.  This time a 10 minute ride and then a 5 minute walk.  Free ride, $2 parking; vs. free parking and a about $3 ride. (See SilverLine)  dash-West is FREE! It runs 6:30am-10pm.  Parking at the dash-West Parking Lot#9 […]

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a western Michigan gem. The 158-acre campus, 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE, has attracted more than 10 million visitors since opening in 1995. Outdoor amenities include nature trails, a boardwalk, a Japanese garden and a replica of a 1930s farmhouse. Meijer Gardens is home to a permanent sculpture […]

Special Announcement! I am really looking forward to both Spring and the NGS Family History Conference. I hope you are too. Actually, everyone that I have talked to is done with winter and looking forward to warmer weather and different activities. Speaking of different activities. This conference is different- at least for us. This is […]

Society Night, Wednesday, 2 May 2018, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Center Concourse, Second Floor, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (Updated March 23, 2018) Society Night is a great way to meet and visit with representatives of state, local, ethnic, and historical societies from across Michigan and other states who will not have booths in the […]

What a fun day on the Silver Line in Winter! My day was warm (overcast and higher than freezing). I was ready for an adventure. This is new for me and I needed to know. I drove to 60th Street and Division Avenue, an easy exit at 68th Street then north Division a mile to […]

Looking ahead to NGS 2018 Conference May 2-5 Grand Rapids, Michigan! Here is a glimpse of Sue Irvine’s time at Raleigh in May 2017 and what we can look forward to in GR! Vendor area open and free to the public. The American Ancestors booth was huge.  You’ll love looking at all the books they […]