Wake County Genealogical Society Blog: December 2024

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Wake Wednesday - Christmas Far Away c.1945

Keeping Christmas where ever and however possible!

Snapshot of an unidentified American soldier, Clark, and Floyd Boughner holding a Christmas tree. Photograph taken while Morrison Jr. of Raleigh, N.C., was serving in the U.S. Army during World War II Caption on back of photograph reads: “Cold!” [circa December 1945]. WWII 33.B3.F10.7 (From Robert R. Morrison Jr. Papers, WWII 33, World War II Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.)

Merry Christmas everyone. Thank you for following along with WCGS!

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Merry Christmas from Wake County Genealogical Society

Merry Christmas to all our
members and supporters.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Wake Wednesday - Christmas in Wake County - pt. 2

I have shared ArcGIS StoryMaps before. I am sharing another today and I think that this iteration is the cleverest use of the technology yet. Take a peek at this wonderful time travel illustration of Christmas at Oak View: 1850-1950 by Abigail Kellerman. The stories illustrates how Christmas was celebrated and how traditions changed through the various eras with different rooms and structures portraying each.

source

I hope you enjoy this adventure to the past! Merry Christmas.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Volunteer Opportunities for the Upcoming Year

Want to get involved with Wakecogen on a more interactive level? We have the following position open. If you are interested in these positions, please email our Volunteer Coordinator, Saundra R. Cropps - info@wakecogen.org

Meet-Up Planner for 2025

If you are a social being who loves to talk genealogy, this is your niche in WCGS! Volunteer to arrange quarterly meet-ups: the casual events can be an in-person event, tour of a museum or archive, or just a meal! This would also be a great assignment for two people who would like to work together. It is always fun to tag team party inspiration and efforts.

Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website -

Monday, December 16, 2024

Upchurch and Allied Families Association Newsletter - November 2024

For those following along, here is the latest Upchurch and Allied Families Association Newsletter.

December 2024

View past UAFA newsletters here

Friday, December 13, 2024

Follow our newest Facebook Page - wakecogensoc

Big Move Alert!!

We are switching our Facebook page from the business page* format to a regular group page in about a week and a half.

For a while, followers who land at the old page will be directed to the new page link. Since you are here, you can follow the link below or search "wakecogensoc" from the Facebook search field to signup for the new page. All posting will only appear on the new page after November 1, 2024.

You can enjoy all the fresh content, event updates, and interactions that you have come to expect from WCGS at our new page. Come check us out! Join us.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakecogensoc

search "wakecogensoc" at Facebook

*Reasons for move:

The FB business page model has evolved over time to a format that no longer suits our needs for events, announcements and interaction. Their storefront focus does not allow easy interaction between followers and pushes posting and business goals on a daily basis. We do not use our page in any business sense. Leaving all these hoops and hurdles behind will free up time for us and make posting and collaboration easier for our followers. It is a Win/Win.

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Wake Wednesday - Christmas in Wake County, pt. 1

Caution: Extreme Nostalgia Ahead!

Do you remember the Fayeteville Street Christmas lights (before the acorns or snowflakes), a nighttime downtown Christmas parade, Happyland or Cross Family Lights? No matter which of these traditions strike a nostalgic chord in you soul, you will find all these and more in this Wake County Christmas time collection of remembrances from various sources.

A Ghost of Christmas Past - the late Karl Larrson shares his memories of downtown Raleigh at Christmas.

source

Then and now: Scenes of Raleigh at Christmas since the 1930s by Heather Leah of WRAL. Enjoy this nostalgic look at Fayetteville Street as the hub of holiday cheer from the 1930s forward. I love the many wonderful retro photos from the State Archives of NC.

It is my hope that your memories spark the urge to tell the stories to your younger kin creating new family traditions and a hunger for more family stories. Keep the stories flowing and Christmas memories alive.

Thursday, December 5, 2024

2025 Wake County Genealogical Society Virtual Meetings - next - January 28, 2025

Looking forward to seeing you and sharing all 2025 has to offer. Happy New Year!

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 @ 6:30pm - Virtual

Did you know that Family Search is placing their recently digitized material online in less that 24 hours after it is scanned? Did you know that they were placing them, not in the Catalog but in Images? This makes the images tab (under Search) as the most up-to-date repository of records--not the Catalog. These records are also not yet indexed and so they cannot be accessed using a surname search. What is a Super Sleuth to do? We will learn how to access these records and perhaps how to use other tools to find your ancestor in the document easier. You will want to see what FS has put on line in the geographic area where you are researching! Treasures await!

Join us! Free and virtual!

*Please register by 4pm day of meeting.

*Please save your passcode and link for ease of entry at start time.

*Presentation starts promptly at 6:30 pm.

Link to register at the Wakecogen website events page.

Registration is now open!

Upcoming Events

view events page for details

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 @ 6:30pm - Virtual

Topic: We CAN Successfully Research Pre-1870 Enslaved & FPOC Ancestors

Speaker: Diane L. Richard, owner MosaicRPM, GenWebinars, Tar Heel Discoveries

Tuesday, Mar. 25, 2025 @ 6:30pm - Virtual

Gravestone Symbolism

Robin Simonton, Executive Director of Historic Oakwood Cemetery

Registration coming soon for the following topics:

Tuesday, Apr. 22, 2025 @ 6:30pm - Virtual