Preparing for a Research Trip

Well, I'm two weeks away from heading to the Upper Peninsula Michigan, specifically Ishpeming and Marquette. I was there in my genealogy infancy and was fortunate to get as much information as I did but there is much more to be done.

One of the best things to come out of that trip was meeting some of the relatives still living in the area. My mother-in-law, Alice, and her brother, Clifford, spent many summers at the home in Ishpeming still resided in by Larson relatives. We will, of course, spend some time with them again. They have some family scrapbooks and albums I need to review again and now that I have my flip-pal I'll be able to get much better pictures than I got in 1995. Back then I was never able to take a shot without some glare in the picture.

In preparation for the trip, I'm creating a To-Do List on Evernote and this is what I have so far:

Ishpeming:
Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library
Ishpeming Area Historical Society
Cliff Shaft Mine Museum
Ishpeming Cemetery
The Mining Journal office

Marquette:
Marquette County Clerk and Court House
Park Cemetery
Marquette County History Center
Central Upper Peninsula and NMU Archives
Peter White Public Library

Negaunee:
Negaunee Historical Museum
Michigan Iron Industry Museum

Of course, I have specific items for research under each of these locations.

Next week I will begin calling the libraries, museums, and libraries to make sure each will be open. I'll also ask if there are any restrictions on what I can bring with me to research. In some cases, I'll be able to give more information to an archivist or librarian and they may have some things ready for me when I get there.

Now that the date is getting close, I'm getting very excited. I want to be ready and be able to research effectively because I probably won't be going back before I write Alice and her ancestors' story.

~ Becky