Natrona County Genealogy Society

04/10/2026

We're excited to invite you to join this month's FREE class, "GERMANS FROM RUSSIA," at the Natrona County Library on Thursday April 16, 2026, 6:30 PM! Our presenter will be Marcia Stroh, an active Society member for over 20 years & president for 10 years. Previously she presented a program on the Homestead Act. Marcia's late husband, Larry Stroh, was also an active Society member and a descendent of Germans from Russia. Preparations for this presentation have held a special place in Marcia's heart as she followed the journey of Larry's family. Join us and discover who Germans from Russia are, why they are called Germans from Russia, & what happened to them in the years leading up to the present. Even if you do not have Germans from Russia in your own family, some of Marcia's research techniques may be just what you were needing to know about for your own genealogy research!

Please share this post on your own FB page and bring friends &/or family members with you on the 16th. If you are unable to attend in person, consider joining our ZOOM call on your phone or computer. You'll find the log-in information in your April newsletter, a benefit of membership. Not a member? Just call or stop by the Natrona County Library to get the info you'll need to join the ZOOM call. Hope to see you soon!!!

04/06/2026

Free monthly family history classes at the Family Search Center, located at 3931 W 45th St, Casper, WY. They are available the first Tuesday of every month. This month’s topic is Family Tree record hints and sources.

03/16/2026

Our FREE March 19th class at the Natrona County Library "will introduce you to the FamilySearch Research Wiki and help you learn why it is such a useful tool to use in your genealogy research." In her presentation, Casper FamilySearch Research Center Coordinator, Bruchele Cleverly, will focus on how to navigate through the Wiki, and explain how it can guide you on your research path. Come at 6:30 to check in, receive any handouts, & visit with other genealogists. And bring a friend or family member. Can't make it in person? Join us on ZOOM from the comfort of your home! If you are a Genealogy Society member, you'll find the passcode for ZOOM in the newsletter you received today by e-mail. If you aren't a member, drop by or call the library & they will give you the passcode. If you'd LIKE to be a member, dues are $15 for the year & you can join before or after any Genealogy Society class.
Please do us a favor & share this post to help get the word out to more folks in the community! Thanks!!!☺️

02/16/2026

You are invited to our FREE February class at the Natrona County Library at 6:30 PM, February 19th, 2026! Our guest will be Con Trumball, a member of several long-time Casper families and a big history enthusiast. He will use a round table discussion to share where to find resources on preserving family records and photographs. He will share family photos & records he has collected and show how he has stored them using Cataloglt. There will be plenty of time for your questions & answers!
https://hub.catalogit.app/banner-mountain-Research at the US National Archives

Please share this post, and bring a friend or family member to the class. If you are unable to attend in person, you can attend from your home on ZOOM. Check the recently-sent Genealogy Society newsletter for the passcode to get on the ZOOM call, or call the library if you are not yet a Society member. Want to become a member? Just pay an annual fee of $15 (for a couple) before or after the class. We hope to see you Thursday!

Browse folders and entries from Banner Mountain Archives

01/12/2026

Don't miss January's FREE class on a topic more & more of us are turning to for a deep dive into their genealogical research ... DNA! We hope to see you in person or on ZOOM, January 15th, 6:30, at the Natrona County Library! The class is titled "Squeezing All the Facts Out of Your DNA Matches," & our ZOOM presenter is Kate Penney Howard, a genetic genealogist living in Columbia City, Indiana. What do you do when that potential relative won't respond to your Ancestry message to them & they don't have a visible tree? Don't give up! Kate shares that she will "give users of every skill level more tools to crack" difficult cases, "strategies for logically approaching your search," and "a template to help ensure" you've left no stone unturned.

Planning to watch on ZOOM? Just check your January newsletter for connection information. No January newsletter? That means you aren't a NCGS member, but no problem ... just drop by or call the library & they'll give you the connection information for the ZOOM call. You can also become a Society member by paying your $15 dues at any NCGS class at the library ... and your membership covers you and your spouse or child. Please share this post AND plan to bring a friend if you attend in person!

01/11/2026

Podcast with founder of a site that promises to help you find the correct cemetery, not just the deceased person.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_H9cfhjSTvE&list=UULFcvpi8XvOScBogIxmarmADw&fbclid=IwVERTSAPP9_FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4rYabZNpDu2K1-8xbB1OsI3umaeWHSg1Ip9tl1D_xXsauEB4DNGEGwHy-ubQ_aem_eJPJPBzwHATTqd7TmI9PBA

In this episode of Genealogy TV, Connie Knox welcomes Doyle Glaze, creator of CemeteryRegistry.us, for an in-depth tour of a powerful and underused resource ...

12/31/2025

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1429902269135849&id=100063482673708

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about family history lately — not just what we research, but how it feels to keep learning over time.

Some seasons are full of momentum.
Others feel overwhelming, confusing, or easy to put off.

As I plan the family history education experiences I’ll be creating in 2026, I want to do it thoughtfully and with real people in mind, not assumptions.

So I put together a short survey to better understand:
• where people are feeling stuck
• what feels hardest right now
• what kind of support would actually be helpful

Before I plan what comes next with Ancestry Virtual Events, Facebook LIVES, sessions with my pajamas & pedigrees™ community, and more, I want to listen.

If you’re willing to take 7-9 minutes, I’d truly value your perspective.

👉 Look in comments for the link to take the survey.

Thank you for helping me make what I create more supportive, meaningful, and grounded in real life people and what they need in their family history journey right now. 💛

Oh - and if you could like, comment on, and share this post it will help it get seen by others so they can contribute their opinions as well. Thanks!

12/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16JAXXegvn/

50 Top U.S. Genealogy Centers, Museums, and Libraries for Research (Updated Quicksheet)

When researching your genealogy, it helps to know where documents and other resources are. Here is a list of 50 top institutions in the United States. The list includes museums, genealogy centers, libraries, societies, etc. Visit these websites and the institutions in person if you are able.

Get the Quicksheet PDF of Links and Holdings Abstracts of these fabulous institutions at https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/50-top-u-s-centers-museums-and-libraries-for-genealogy-research/

11/29/2025

50% off new and gift memberships thru Monday!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HMXWcptwd/

Ends 12/2. Terms apply.

11/17/2025

REMINDER: Thursday, November 20, 6:30pm, Natrona County Library, Crawford Room. Genealogy class! Greg Kapeles presents Research and Rabbit Holes That Tell A Family Story.
Greg will take you on the journey of his Grandfather's immigration from Greece to Casper in the early 1900's, discussing the documents and sources that tell this story. He will also shine a light down some of the many rabbit holes he investigated that enrich the family stories he grew up hearing.
Natrona County Library

11/16/2025

It's time to plan to attend the November Genealogy Society class at the Natrona County Library this Thursday November 20th! As we do genealogical research to piece together our ancestors' stories, we find RABBIT HOLES that add context and depth to help us understand more profoundly who our ancestors were. Our society president, Greg Kapeles, will take you on the journey of his Grandfather's immigration from Greece to Casper in the early 1900's, discussing the documents and sources that tell this story. He will also shine a light down some of the many RABBIT HOLES he investigated that enrich the family stories he grew up hearing.