| Building a family tree may sound like a daunting | | | | newspaper records as well. |
| process, but it can be a really fun family project. | | | | There are a few programs that can help you |
| Many times, you have resources as close as a | | | | organize the data you've collected. They will also |
| phone call or e-mail. Let the kids interview | | | | help layout a printable version of the family tree. |
| grandparents and aunts and uncles. Have | | | | There are freeware and shareware programs, as |
| everyone tell them about as many family | | | | well as more expensive programs, which have |
| members as they can remember. Older family | | | | more features. |
| members love to share stories and time with the | | | | A more creative approach to a family tree is to |
| younger ones. | | | | make a photo family tree. By painting a simple |
| Did anyone in your family keep a diary or a | | | | tree on the wall, and hanging photos, it makes a |
| journal? They can be a wonderful source of first | | | | great way to display your research. If you don't |
| hand accounts and give an insight that you | | | | want to have a wall-sized mural, a smaller scale in |
| wouldn't have even talking to relatives. If the | | | | one frame, with small portraits is also nice. There |
| family member is still living, be sure to get | | | | are also cross-stitch patterns for very simple |
| permission to read the journal first. Old letters are | | | | family trees as well, that have room for names |
| also a wonderful source of information. | | | | and dates. |
| Once you've gathered first hand information, you | | | | Researching your family tree can also help history |
| can quite often find more information either in the | | | | come alive. As you dig further back along the |
| library or the Internet. There are many genealogy | | | | family tree, you may find either that someone |
| sites that can assist in family research; however, | | | | you are related to, knew someone famous, or |
| some charge fees. Courthouse records and | | | | was famous themselves. As you learn about each |
| cemeteries can also be a good source of names | | | | generation, you can do research about how they |
| and dates of relatives. You can search old | | | | lived during that time period. |