The motor vessel Kalakala was a ferry that operated on Puget Sound from 1935 until her retirement in 1967. The MV Kalakala was notable for her unique streamlined superstructure, art deco styling and luxurious amenities. The vessel was a popular attraction for locals and tourists and was voted second only to the Space Needle in popularity among visitors to Seattle during the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair.
After retiring from passenger service in 1967, the ship was beached in Kodiak, Alaska, and converted into a shrimp cannery. In 1998, the ship was refloated and towed to Puget Sound with the owner hoping to restore the ship. During this time, the ship continued to deteriorate, with the Coast Guard decaling the ship a hazard to avigation in 2011. Unable to raise the funds required for restoration, the ship was scrapped in 2015.
The book, Weird Washington, explains the story and history of this once proud ferry boat……. that many of you might remember traveling aboard. Members of the Advanced Ghost Hunters of Seattle & Tacoma were most interested in the ship and the possibility that it might be haunted. Several members were aboard when she was towed from Alaska back to Puget Sound in 1998 and felt certain they documented “ghostly manifestations.” So goes another story of Washington’s history…..
(Big thanks to Wikipedia for the info and images.)
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society Genealogy Chat
Tuesday, December 19th starting at 7:00 PM via Zoom
Our conversation starter this month is “What did you enjoy accomplishing the most this year and what are you looking forward to doing in 2024?”
This is a monthly opportunity to connect with others and talk about anything and everything genealogical. The value of this meeting increases with the participation of each person that attends and contributes to the conversations. This is your chance to celebrate the breaking down of a brick wall in your research or ask questions of others that can help you find records or relatives. Everyone, members, and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate.
Date & Time: Every month on the Third Tue, from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM Pacific Time
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Discover which are the best web sites for German genealogy and research!
Presenter: Dan Jungclas
With 35 plus years of experience, Dan began his genealogical journey at the young age of 26. Dan, quite an accomplished speaker, is an International Speaker and has spoken for the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP). Dan’s expertise offers incredible insight through comprehensive exploration, research & preservation. Knowledgeable of more than just the basics of genealogy, Dan is familiar with vital records (birth, marriage, and death), census records, church records, land records, tax records, emigration records, immigration records, & naturalization records. Dan specializes in a number of areas related to but not limited to Germany, Germanic Areas, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio; Northern Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan and other areas of the USA as well as the National Archives (NARA), the Great Lakes, the Midwest, the US Civil War, WWI, WWII and German Genealogy.
The Italian Interest Group (IIG) of the Eastside Genealogical Society (EGS) is hosting a Free Webinar on both genealogical research in Italy and dual US/Italian citizenship. Please share this information with your members. If you have any questions, you can contact me at the email address below. Mille Grazie, Stephen email@egs-iig.com
********** FREE **********Italian Genealogy Webinar direct from Italy
Welcome to Italian Genealogy Let’s explore the world of Italian genealogy together, one person at a time.
ZOOM Meeting Topic: Hands-on Italian Genealogy & Dual Citizenship: Digging roots on the ground in Italypresented by Allesandro Bovino (Bella Italia Genealogy)When: 20-Jan-2023, Saturday Time: SPECIAL TIME 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PST)
Description This workshop might be the right fit for all whose roots stem from Italy and who are serious about genealogy and Dual Citizenship. Italian-native professional genealogist Alessandro Bovino from Benevento, Campania, Italy, will share details about how your Italian family tree can be brought up to the next level when using on-site records that remain yet unexplored, like notarial documents, military files, or dowry records. Open to the expert as to the novice alike, the lecture will let you understand the invaluable worth of Italian local records – right from an on-site Italian professional’s perspective. A detailed insight into how to go about qualifying for Dual Italian Citizenship will also be offered as the final part of the program to make for any specific questions the audience may want to pose in that regard.
Presenter: Alessandro Bovino
Biography Alessandro Bovino is a native Italian professional genealogist and family history speaker. He is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and was once a Host/Genealogist on the renowned series “Who do You Think You Are?” for the Swedish TV format. He is also the president and founder of the family history firm ‘Bella Italia Genealogy’ based in his native town Benevento, Southern Italy. Everything started back in 2006, when he suddenly got very curious about certain family lines he had never thought much about. It was then that his father told him about a great-uncle who came to America through Ellis Island and this spurred him on to discover who he is and where he comes from. Since then, as an Italian-born researcher, he has been thrilled to meet second cousins in the States who had waited for decades to greet their Italian family. It is with this spirit of curiosity and adventure that Alessandro decided to found Bella Italia Genealogy as an exclusively Italy-based genealogy research, ancestral tour, and Dual Citizenship company. By using records and documents available only through on-site research, he aims to make yours a one-of-a-kind genealogy experience.
Who isn’t in line for FREE stuff? To those of EWGS members who have been in my genealogy classes in the past, haven’t I taught you “that if it’s free, take two?” 👵 Well, it’s true; everybody checks out “free stuff.” It’s human nature.Thomas MacEntee is the genius behind this website (www.genealogybargains.com) and the links at the top of his site are:
Home
Genealogy Webinars
FREE Genealogy Stuff
Store
Connect with me
Under the “FREE Genealogy Stuff,” Thomas (in his newsletter) mentions what’s free today or this month in the genealogy world. (Click to his website to sign up for his free newsletter.) Under the “Store” you’ll find over a dozen pages of cheat sheets or how-to sheets that he’s created and offers mostly for free …… but some are $1.99. By now (late in December) your “extra” spending money is running low, so having freebies offered to you right now is a December gift to you for sure! Enjoy.
When we see, hear or read “December 7th,” we likely immediately think of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. I thought you might like to learn of other events throughout history that also happened on December 7th:
1696 – Connecticut Rt 108, one of the oldest highways in America is completed to Trumbull
1732 – The Royal Opera House opens at Covent Garden, London, England
1787 – Delaware is the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution
1808 – James Madison elected 4th U.S. President
1842 – New York Philharmonic’s first concert
1868 – Jesse James gang robs bank in Gallatin, Missouri
1872 – HMS Challenger sets sail on 3 1/2 year world oceanographic cruise
1891 – the 52nd U.S. Congress was first to appropriate $1,000,000,000
1909 – Inventor patents Bakelite, sparking birth of the plastics industry
1912 – Bust of Queen Nefertiti found in El-Amarna, Egypt
1917 – The USA’s 42nd “Rainbow” Division arrives in France (with Col. Douglass MacArthur among its ranks)
1917 – U.S. becomes 13th country to declare war on Austria during WW I
1926 – Gas refrigerator patented
1937 – Dutch Minister Romme proclaims married women are forbidden to work
1937 – Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year-old Ted Williams
1941 – Adolf Hitler issues first anti-Jewish proclamations
1967 – Otis Redding records “Sittin on the Dock of the Bay”
1972 – Apollo 17 launched; crew takes famous “blue marble” photo of Earth
1979 – Star Trek: The Motion Picture, first movie from the TV series
1992 – Galileo spacecraft passes the North Pole of the Moon; 1995 heads to Jupiter
2020 – Coca-Cola named the world’s No. 1 plastic polluter
2021 – Chile becomes the 31st nation to legalize same-sex marriage
There was a L-O-N-G list of events that happened on December 7th, in several categories. Ask Google to read the entire list….
TIP OF THE WEEK – CREATE UNIQUE FAMILY GIFTS FROM FREE PRINTABLES
Need an inexpensive, but personal gift idea? The Library of Congress has dozens of blank and adaptable antique family record sheets. The images are in the public domain. You can print them off on good paper, paste in photos and create a memorable gift for each family member. Search for “family record” on the Library of Congress website. Here are a couple examples.
Word of the passing of Bernadette Laqueur was received recently. She died earlier this year at the age of 72.
Laqueur was born May 24, 1950, in San Francisco, to Gert and Mary Alice Murphy. She grew up near Washington, D.C. and graduated from the University of Indiana. She worked in Los Angeles in legal administration before moving with her family to Seattle in 1989. She was an active voice in community, political, conservation and education work. In addition to her passion for genealogy, Laqueur enjoyed skiing, kayaking and playing the piano.
Laqueur joined the Seattle Genealogical Society in 2011 and actively participated in the society’s programs and special interest groups. A regular donor, she also volunteered in the SGS library. In 2020, Laqueur stepped up to serve as a trustee for the SGS library and did so until her health failed. She died Jan. 21, 2023. Survivors include husband Paul Herstein, and sons Andrew and Richard. She is buried at Lake View Cemetery on Capital Hill in Seattle.
WHERE’S PERSI?
The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is the premier subject index for genealogy and local history periodical articles. Although PERSI has had a few different homes over the years the index is now available through the Allen County Public Library’s (ACPL) website. Seattle Public Library owns many of the indexed periodicals. Articles can also be requested from ACPL. The SGS catalog also includes a link to the website.
THANKS TO FLIER VOLUNTEERS!
Thank you to all those who volunteered to locate living relatives of the fliers of the first circumnavigation of the world. Each flier has been matched with a volunteer and the search is on.
IT’S THE GIVING SEASON As 2023 wraps up and we reflect on our centennial year, we also want to look forward to the future. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support the work of the Seattle Genealogical Society and Library.
Your support helps us keep membership dues low and allows us to serve the our community in more meaningful ways.
The celebratory news on 11 November 1923, was “MERCER ISLAND CELEBRATES OPENING OF BRIDGE, Residents See Dreams and Plans of 45 Years Realized”. The headlines further explained “New Structure 1,200 fee Long Reaches from Barnabee Point to Enatai on Eastern Shore of Lake Washington.”
Barnabee Point is on the east side of Mercer Island with Enatai located on the eastern shore of Lake Washington between Newport and Bellevue. The bridge gave Mercer Island its first land communication with Seattle and the rest of the mainland. The article touted the fact that it allowed one to now drive from Mercer Island to Seattle via Renton. The celebration included a 20 piece band of the Boys Parental School of Mercer Island. The article also noted that a bridge on the western side of Mercer Island to Seattle is a possibility in the future but would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
— “MERCER ISLAND CELEBRATES OPENING OF BRIDGE, Residents See Dreams and Plans of 45 YearsRealized”, The Seattle Daily Times, 11 Nov. 1923, p. 14, col 3.
* Thanks for celebrating this centennial year with us!
SAVE THE DATE
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, usually 2nd Monday meetings usually 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Pacific Time
JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 pm unless noted otherwise. The next meeting is Dec. 11, 2023, “‘Illegitimacy’ in the Jewish Communities of Galicia,” presented by Janette Silverman. For more information see http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php
Free webinars from American Ancestors by NEHGS Events are all noon to 1:00 pm Pacific Time
• “Applying to Revolutionary War Lineage Societies,” Dec. 7, 2023, Join Vice President of Research and Library Services Lindsay Fulton for a step-by-step look at applying to Revolutionary War lineage societies. Register in advance.
• “Family History Roundtable: Getting Family Involved in Your Research,” Dec. 12, 2023, Finding ways to get our relatives interested in family history is almost as much of a challenge as the research itself! Join us for this engaging panel discussion with our genealogists as they discuss their tips for getting family involved in your research. Register in advance.
• “What’s New at American Ancestors,” Dec. 14, 2023, Stay up to date with what’s new at American Ancestors with this webinar series! Register in advance.
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302 4649 Sunnyside Ave N Seattle, WA 98103 206 522-8658
Hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ** 10:00 am – 3:00 pm **
Masks are recommended inside the Good Shepherd Center. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting.
All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise notedSaturday, Dec. 2, 2023, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch SIG (Virtual), with Lou Daly. Discover many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email Lou to get on the email list: loudaly@nwlink.comSunday, Dec. 3, 2023, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join.
Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, Dec. 9, 2022, 1:00 am-2:30 pm, Second Saturday: City Directories (Virtual or at the SGS library), Learn how to leverage city directors in your research: To view at the library, register here. To view from home online register here.
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, SGS Board of Directors Meeting (Virtual), All SGS members are welcome to attend. SGS is an all volunteer organization. Please be involved. Members must sign in to website to see Zoom link.
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm, Write It Up! SIG (Virtual), Join this group to share and discuss writing projects, resources, and ideas. To join or learn more, contact Alaine Keisling at keisling@gmail.comTuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help. Saturday, Dec. 16 2023, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Irish SIG (Virtual), with Susan McKee. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG (Virtual), Bring your favorite German research resource to share with the group. Carolyn Schott is the facilitator. Get the new Zoom link. Register on the SGS website.
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Family History Writers’ Group (Social Interest Group), Create your family history and share with others in an effort to improve your writing. Please note: The Writers’ Group is at the maximum number of participants and is not currently accepting any new members.Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch SIG (Virtual), with Lou Daly. Discover many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email Lou to get on the email list: loudaly@nwlink.comSunday, Jan. 7, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Co-chaired by Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick. Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske. Meetings address topics and resources for Macintosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy software program. Meetings are on the second Wednesday of alternating months. A link to login will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. If you would like to join, send an email to macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the email list.
December 1, 2023
SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews!
You are free to copy articles to any non-commercial web site or message board or printed publication you wish. Don’t bother to ask permission, just do it.
Welcome to Italian Genealogy Let’s explore the world of Italian genealogy together, one person at a time.
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