Find the Dash

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Find the Dash

A digital garden focused on genealogy, family history software and services, and modern approaches to sharing our ancestors’ stories.

(sorted by most recently updated)

  • Philadelphia (PA) Research Guide

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    I do a fair bit of research in the Philadelphia area, as that’s where most of my family was living from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s. I put together some of the most useful resources here to keep everything in one place.

  • Beneficial Uses of AI in Genealogy

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    A collection of actually helpful uses of AI in genealogical research.

  • Resources for Free High Quality Historical Images

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    Adding visuals to your family history is essential in making it feel real and tangible to readers. Of course, starting with images from your own family’s collection is where you should start, but sometimes finding historical images that relate to places your family lived or visited can also be a great way to add interest…

  • Creating Family Charts

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    There are lots of places to create family charts… and predictably I have yet to find one I really, really like. Here is where I’ll give a rundown of what I’ve tried and what I’d love to see. Family Circles DiagramA local in-browser chart creator. Looks really pretty impressive, though I was unable to get…

  • Audio Asset Management for Family Historians

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    If you conduct personal interviews as part of your family history research, you will wind up with a lot of files. Why is there no good way to organize them at a personal-level?

  • Cataloging Family Heirlooms with Artifcts

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    Artifcts serves a specific purpose: helping people tell the stories behind their stuff. It’s hard to believe that this was an unsolved problem, but no longer…

  • Desktop Genealogy Software

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    Desktop genealogy software isn’t wanting for features, but when it comes to design and UI? Most… could use some help.

  • Family History Gift Ideas

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    Looking for some inspiration for unique family history-themed presents? Here are some things I’ve given over the years.

  • Publishing a Family History Book

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    Since 2015, I’ve periodically self-published private family history books. This is an overview of the approaches I’ve taken and what I’ve learned along the way.

  • Personal Podcasting

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    I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a podcast available only to family. Topics would be individual ancestors, interesting stories, and interviews with relatives. Producing a podcast is something I’ve done and am relatively comfortable with (even if it’s been a while), but the personal/private angle is something a little different. Some links I’ve…