11th Annual OCCGS Genealogy BASH and Book Faire
Gena Philibert-Ortega presents
Your Ancestor's Stuff: An Interactive Experience
Schedule
Doors open at 8:00 am Pacific Time for Registration; Conference begins at 9:00 am Pacific Time.
| Time (PST) | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | |
| 9:00 AM - 9:05 AM | Welcome |
| 9:05 AM - 10:20 AM | Session 1 - An Introduction to Your Ancestor’s Material Culture What is material culture? What does material culture have to do with genealogy? We will explore what material culture is explore examples. Participants are encouraged to bring something from their ancestor (document, photo, physical item) to learn how to combine that item with research to create a genealogical story. |
| 10:20 AM - 10:45 AM | Break |
| 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM | Session 2 - A Picture is Worth More Than Words: Using Images in Your Research Photos are one way to illustrate a story. For genealogy storytelling, images are a must. In today's world with the use of social media tools such as memes, Instagram and Pinterest, images are king. We must incorporate various images, aside from personal photos, to create interest in our ancestors' lives. In this presentation we will explore image types, where to find images, and questions that images can answer. |
| 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Lunch Break |
| 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM | Session 3 - Retail Time Capsules: Unearthing Ancestors' Lives Through Historic Catalogs Step back in time to discover how retail catalogs can serve as a window into your ancestors' daily lives. From Sears Roebuck to Montgomery Ward, these historic catalogs are more than just sales listings—they reflect the fashions, tools, and innovations that shaped how our ancestors lived. In this lecture, you'll learn how to locate vintage catalogs, analyze their contents, and use them to enrich your genealogical research. Discover how everyday purchases reveal social class, occupations, and even personal tastes of those who came before us, and walk away with practical strategies for adding depth and color to your family history stories. Step back in time to discover how retail catalogs can serve as a window into your ancestors' daily lives. From Sears Roebuck to Montgomery Ward, these historic catalogs are more than just sales listings—they reflect the fashions, tools, and innovations that shaped how our ancestors lived. In this lecture, you'll learn how to locate vintage catalogs, analyze their contents, and use them to enrich your genealogical research. Discover how everyday purchases reveal social class, occupations, and even personal tastes of those who came before us, and walk away with practical strategies for adding depth and color to your family history stories. |
| 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | Break |
| 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM | Session 4 - Ephemera: The Pieces of Your Ancestor's Life Ephemera is defined as items that were not meant to be archived. Largely paper items, they are inherited, archived, and found. Learn more about what ephemera is and how it can be incorporated into your ancestor's story. This hands-on presentation will explore ephemera types and ways to incorporate ephemera into your family history. |
All registered attendees will have access to the recordings of these sessions until June 7, 2025.
Please note that this is a HYBRID event, and the schedule may shift slightly to serve the needs of the live audience.
