October 2, 2014

I love this old photo of my Grandpa on his toy pony on the street outside his house in San Francisco. This was snapped about 1907 and shows a happy baby and his bustling neighborhood.

To learn more about his little stretch of heaven, I turned to an old street map collection perfect for U.S. research: Sanborn Fire Maps.

The quickest way to learn about these detailed cartographic wonders is to see them in action, so here's a free short video from my 5 Ways to Enhance Your Genealogy Research with Old Maps class that not only explains their origin, but shows you an exciting way to view them in Google Earth, and of course where you can get your hands on them!

Using Sanborn Fire Maps
for Genealogy and Family History

As you can see, Sanborn Fire Maps can bring your ancestor's city street to life!

You may not always have time to make your way to a genealogy class or conference, but with Genealogy Gems Premium videos you can learn with your bunny slippers on whenever it's convenient for you!

The complete hour long video presentation includes a downloadable handout with all the written instructions, and is available to all Genealogy Gems Premium Members on our website. Not a member yet? Become a Premium Member here

Thanks for listening friend!

Lisa

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Get the Most Out of Your iPad!

There's a new version of the Apple operating system out! According to Apple, iOS8 is their biggest release to date. It includes big updates to apps like Messages and Photos. And now up to six people in your household can share each other's purchases from iTunes, iBooks, and the App Store. (It's about time!) Check out all the new features at Apple's website here.

But I have to ask: when you first heard the news, was your first reaction "Wait a second - don't change things! I'm still figuring out what to do with my iPad!"

At the beginning of a recent class I was teaching, nearly 80% of attendees indicated they owned iPads. But when I asked them to raise their hands if they felt they were maximizing it, almost all hands dropped!

In my book Turn Your iPad into a Genealogy Powerhouse you will learn how to unleash your iPad's potential for family history on-the-go! These pages are packed with the tools you need to get the most out your tablet:

An in depth look at over 65 apps that are ideal for the genealogist
32 Fabulous Tips and Tricks that will make you a power user
See it for yourself with recommended online videos

Do you have a tablet other than an iPad?

No problem! Comparable apps available in Google Play are included. And the Tips and Tricks section will give you clues as to features to look for on your brand of tablet.