In late August of 2001 Bill and I took our girls across the country to visit our nation's capitol, New York City, and Lancaster County Pennsylvania. We had an amazing time, and one of the highlights for me was two days of research at the Library of Congress.
I've been thinking a lot about that trip recently.
First because I just interviewed the head of the Genealogy Room at the Library of Congress for the September episode of the Family Tree Magazine Podcast. James Sweany, the Head of the department is incredibly knowledgeable. I asked if he would give my Genealogy Gems Premium Members an audio tour of the the Library and he graciously agreed. That tour will be available this month in Premium Episode 31. James says that visible changes include stricter security measures and non-existent parking. However, his tour will help us navigate those changes to ensure a pleasant and rewarding visit.
Second, this week marks the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Our visit to Washington DC and New York City occurred just two weeks prior to the attacks. They have since been changed in profound ways.
In a recent column entitled "Tragedy, Heros Connected to Family History by PA Land" author Rhonda Whetstone shares her memories of that fateful day - how with each news flash the events grew closer and closer to her own family and family history.
Here on the West Coast, home safely from a wonderful family vacation, we counted our blessings that our family was safe. And then we painfully watched with the rest of our small town as we discovered that one of our own citizens, Thomas Burnett, had worked alongside the other passengers on Flight 93, and lost his life trying to prevent an even greater tragedy.
Everyone's family was in some way touched that day.
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