DNA Q&A Handouts here

We had a great time and a good turnout at our August DNA Q&A meeting. 

Handouts for the meeting are located on the Wakecogen publication page:

DNA Q&A slides

DNA and Family History handout (provided by Kathy Ruse)

All handouts from our Summer 2019 DNA series can be reviewed by clicking the Summer of DNA tab above or going directly to the Wakecogen website publication page

Photos will be uploaded soon.

Return to the WakeCoGen Website

Wake Wednesday - Hardimont

I remember the huge mansion off Wake Forest Road just before you get to the Beltline. It used to fascinate me when we first moved to Raleigh in the 70s. Of course, this spot held other significance for Wake County and North Carolina, but I will get to that later...

source

"On the estate to the other side, the matriarch was even older, and of even a higher level of artistocracy, and she lived in a house so big it had its own name — Hardimont. Margie Biggs was the widow of James Crawford Biggs, who, in addition to serving as dean of UNC’s law school and being founder of the state’s bar association, served as solicitor general under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Inside the country manor home, when her husband was still alive, they entertained the likes of FDR, Adlai Stevenson and William Jennings Bryan, and held large and lavish parties, it is said, that featured silver service for up to 500 people."

Visit this blogpost for a great account of Margie Biggs and Hardimont.

Return to the WakeCoGen Website

Reciprocal Journals available at Tuesday night's meeting

The following journals were received by Wakecogen within the last month.

Rowan - June 2019,
Alleghany - Summer 2019
Broad River - Aug 2019
Wilson - Aug 2019


***Please note*** as our location is changing in prep for ORL renovation, Linda Hames (Correspondence Secretary), will have these available for review at our next meeting at Cameron Village Regional Library.

Return to the WCGS Website

Wake Wed - Bloomsbury Park c.1912

Bloomsbury Park once hosted a roller coaster and a carousel. Both are shown in the photo below.

source

Bloomsbury Park was built in 1912 as the last stop on the Glenwood Trolley line. The park was the finest amusement destination in Raleigh for almost a decade. By 1920, its popularity had waned. Perhaps the stress of the war and the Spanish Flu epidemic had stolen residents attention for more practical pursuits.

Bloomsbury Park is just a distant memory now, but portions of it remain for those nostalgic for old Raleigh lore. The carousel is easy to find, now restored and residing at Pullen Park. The other fixtures - the roller coaster, the trolley stop, and the dance pavilion - require a keener eye. Thankfully, Heather Leah, has that keen eye and has done the exploring for us. Please take a minute to read her article for ABC11 news. You will be glad you did.

Return to the WCGS Website

August Events Update

Several events of note happening in the next few weeks:

This coming Saturday, Aug. 24 from 9-12 @ Edgecombe Community College, Historic Preservation Program offers a Census records workshop with focus on population, agriculture, mortality, and industrial records and finding valuable clues within. Contact ECC HPP for fees and details, (252) 618-6653.

Next Tuesday, Aug. 27,Wake County Genealogical Society meeting and presentation.  6:30pm-8:15pm @ Cameron Village Regional Library. Topic: DNA Q& A. Details on WakeCoGen homepage.

Sept 4. NCGS Live Webinar: Mysterious Relatives. Speaker: Ari Wilkins. 7pm. (NCGS members only) Details

Sept. 7 & 8, Wake county Libraries, Oasis Spaces- NC Green Book Project. See this post for details.

Return to the WakeCoGen Website

Event Notice: Green Book Project Lecture Sept 7 and Sept 8

This lecture will occur twice in early September. Olivia Raney Local History Library will host from 11am - 1:30pm on September 7. Richard B. Harrison Library will host from 2pm - 4pm on Sunday, September 8.