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2018 Lithuanian Song Festival (Dainų Šventė)

The Lithuanian Song Festival takes place every four years and is an event dedicated to the preservation of Lithuanian cultural (linguistic) heritage through the showcasing of its national song and dance traditions. It is simply spectacular! This year’s 2018 Song Festival commemorates the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian […]

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5 Valuable Multi-Volume Book Sets I Bought Dirt Cheap

Over the years the #booknerd in me has scored! I’ve come across a few valuable multi-volume book sets that I bought for dirt cheap at book sales, garage sales, and even libraries. In addition to being an avid reader I also have been collecting books for over 30 years now

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“John Jay: Founding Father” by Walter Stahr [Book Review]

It’s high praises from me for Walter Stahr’s book “John Jay: Founding Father!” In this book we get to meet one of the most crucial, yet lesser known figures in early American history; in particular, a statesman, lawyer, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Governor of New York, and legal mind without

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New Online Databases Added to the Library of Virginia

Ask me why I flew 5,000 miles to get a library card? The Library of Virginia just added a whole slew of new online databases for patrons to research digitally via their website, the only catch: you MUST have a LIBRARY CARD to be able to access them! This was

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The James Madison Museum Of Orange County, VA

Did you know there is a James Madison Museum in addition to the James Madison home Montpelier? Well, there is and it’s a gem of a place to visit! The James Madison Museum of Orange County Heritage (its formal name) is just 5 miles away from the historic home of

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READING VIRGINIA: A List Of Recommended Books

I visited Virginia in July 2018 and let me tell you that not only is Virginia for lovers but it’s also full of books, good history, good food, and good people. I traveled the state from the north in Manassas, to the Northern Neck tidewater area, around Tappahannock, over to

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15 Beautiful Photos of James Madison’s Montpelier Home

James Madison’s Montpelier was the home of James Madison, 4th President of the United States. The grounds of his famous residence are located near Orange, Virginia about 45 minutes northeast of Charlottesville. Although route 20 gets you there quicker, I found that taking the 22/231 up through Gordonsville is a

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15 Inspirational Photos of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Home

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home was built in 1772 upon a 5,000 acre property in Virginia just east of the city of Charlottesville. Originally intended as a plantation for the retiring 3rd President of the United States, Jefferson outfitted the house with many technical innovations that he himself invented. As an

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Top 5 Genealogy Research Mistakes to Avoid – Greenhorn Goofs!

Here are 5 genealogy research mistakes (common greenhorn goofs) that you should avoid at all costs. These are rookie errors that less-than-careless novice genealogists often make, they are logical traps that are easily avoided by simple persistence and brain power! As you know genealogy is much more than NAMES and

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2018 Sultana Descendants’ Reunion: A Time To Remember

April 27th 2018 marks the 153rd anniversary of the sinking of the Sultana in 1865. It also commemorates the worst maritime disaster in US history, even worse than the infamous Titanic. On Friday April 27th through Saturday April 28th, descendants and family of those that were on board that fateful

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Why Siblings Have Different Test Results: Autosomal DNA

Is it possible that siblings can have different test results for their ethnicity? Why of course it is! In fact, it is normal for multiple siblings NOT to share the exact same percentage of each representative ethnic part that makes up their genetic whole. It’s about varying part to whole

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6 Must-Read Ron Chernow Books [and REVIEW]

If you haven’t read Ron Chernow books then you’re just not that into history! Any serious student of American history knows who Ron Chernow is and that ALL of his books are of the “must-read” status – you don’t just read Ron Chernow, you collect his books. Sufficed to say,

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5 Books You Should Read by Historian David Hackett Fischer

Every avid reader has a list of their favourite authors and David Hackett Fischer is among my top 20. The importance of this historian comes in the thoroughness of his research and his ability to blissfully marry both data and storytelling into masterful narratives. Fischer stands as an unimpugned example

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The Founding Of The Lithuanian Nation Under King Mindaugas

King Mindaugas of Lithuania lived for 60 years and reigned for a combined 27 years of his monumental life. He was the first King of Lithuania and its very first Head Of State, a legacy which has continued all the way until the present day; he united tribes, repelled the

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How To Find Supplemental Census Questions (1940 Census)

What are “Supplemental Census Questions?” Did you know that the one major thing that changed between the US Census of 1930 and 1940 was the elimination of the ‘NATIVITY OF PARENTS’ section for all respondents? For genealogists this is a huge blow and creates a dearth of data for researchers

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