News • June 29, 2024

WCGS Planning Big Summer Weekend

Walker County Genealogical Society is hosting its 11th Annual Summer Genealogical Weekend Aug. 2-3, at the Staggs Community Room of the Huntsville Public Library. This year’s weekend promises to be one of the best yet with well-known international and national speakers.

The Weekend starts with one of the club’s favorite speakers and owner of Southern Hearts Genealogy, Faye Jenkins Stallings. Friday afternoon has WCGS hosting Jim Thornhill of Heroes of the Past Genealogy before providing a couple of hours of research in the Johnnie Jo Sowell Dickenson Genealogy Room. Saturday, the day will take a deep dive into the new tools at FamilySearch genealogical website with Michelle Bailey, President of East Texas Genealogical Society, and end the weekend with internationally-known speaker Lisa Louise Cooke of Genealogy Gems fame. Even with these well-known speakers, the event is free to everyone.

The week preceding the Summer Genealogy Weekend is the society’s semi-annual Silent Auction at the Huntsville Public Library. Books of all genres will be available from July 29 through Aug. 3. Proceeds from these sales are dedicated to the Johnnie Jo Sowell Dickenson Genealogy Room. These proceeds have recently purchased a subscription for the library to MyHeritage genealogical database, two new scanners, and over $2,000 worth of genealogical books.

The Walker County Genealogical Society has been a vibrant member of the community and a friend of the Huntsville Public Library since 1965 and offers free genealogical programming to everyone throughout the year. Check them out and their upcoming events at wcgstx.org.