More than 80 million Americans are believed to be actively searching for more information about their ancestors. This explosion of interest in family history is due, in part, to the advent of the Internet. An ever-growing number of institutions, libraries, and individuals in our nation and others are collecting, preserving, and sharing genealogies, personal documents, and memorabilia that detail the life and times of families around the world. Join the National Register of Historic Places as we commemorate the ongoing efforts to research the diverse stories of family heritage and discover the impact families have made in American history.

Nancy Hanks Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln's mother) Image courtesy of Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Several Teaching With Historic Places Lesson Plans focus on family heritage:

Meet the people and learn about the events that influenced the development of Abraham Lincoln's character and personality as a youth on the Indiana frontier and learn how his belief in freedom and democracy, his eloquence, and the support of his family and community helped propel him to the White House and sustain him through the turbulent Civil War.

An American Success Story: The Pope House of Raleigh, NC
Meet Dr. Manassa T. Pope, an African-American doctor and entrepreneur, and learn about his family's life in segregated Raleigh, NC in the early 20th century. This house is also featured in our Raleigh travel itinerary

Back Stairs at Brucemore: Life as Servants in early 20th-Century America Understand why domestic servants were integral to the sophistication, decorum, and functionality of the Brucemore estate. During the years that the Douglas family made Brucemore their home, 10 or more people maintained the mansion and grounds, and cared for the children at any given time.

The Battle of Prairie Grove: Civilian Recollections of the Civil War
Learn how the Civil War affected families, through the eyes of young women whose homes were in the midst of an important battle and continuing conflict.

Birthplace of John F. Kennedy: Home of the Boy Who Would Be President
Visit JFK's birthplace and consider the effects of culture and community in shaping character and personality. It was here that Rose Kennedy and her husband Joseph began instilling the high standards and ambition that would make the Kennedys one of America's most famous families.

Growing into Public Service: William Howard Taft's Boyhood Home
Visit the home of the only man to serve the country both as president and chief justice, and meet the rest of his public service-oriented family. The Taft House reminds us of the boyhood and upbringing of a man whose career was dedicated to his country.

Life on an Island: Early Settlers Off the Rock-Bound Coast of Maine
Discover how families settling Maine's coastal islands survived despite harsh living conditions.

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Monument to the Gilded Age
Discover how the Vanderbilts became one of the wealthiest families in America and how their lifestyle influenced business, culture, architecture, and society in ways that still affect us today.

The Penniman House: A Whaling Story
Meet Captain Edward Penniman, and learn about 19th-century whaling in southeastern Massachusetts and how the whaling industry impacted Penniman's family and life.

Edward Penniman House Photo courtesy Cape Cod National Seashore

The Discover our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary series highlights many properties that reflect the impact families have made in American history.

Maritime History of Massachusetts
Massachusetts families made important contributions to the maritime industry, including the Bradfords, 19th-century shipbuilders and ship captains. The oldest restaurant in Boston, Union Oyster House, was established by the Atwood family in 1826, while the Edward Penniman House reflects the lives of a whaling family.

James River Plantations
The homes of Virginia's most influential families reflect their impact on the Tidewater region of this state.

Orchard House
Louisa May Alcott wrote her most famous novel, Little Women, while living at this home with her family, including her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, an important teacher and transcendental philosopher.

The Amana Colonies and the Shaker Historic Trail
Learn more about these historic communal, utopian societies. The Amana Colonies were established by several families of German-speaking European settlers in Iowa who belonged to a religious group known as the Community of True Inspiration. Shaker villages were organized into several families, a concept that was central to each communty. However, Shaker families were unusual as they were united by common ideas rather than genetics.

Adams National Historic Site
The story of the Adams family encompasses five generations (from 1720 to 1927) including two Presidents and First Ladies, three United States Ministers, historians, writers and family members who supported and contributed to the success of these public figures.

Aboard the Underground Railroad
Many African American families were torn apart when individuals attempted to escape from slavery with the assistance of the Underground Railroad. Learn more about Harriet Tubman, one such former slave who later returned south to rescue several of her family members, and the family of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the influential antislavery author who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin.

DAR Constitution Hall
The historic headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, founded in 1890, is located in Washington D.C. Adjacent to the concert hall is the large DAR genealogical library and museum.

Stinson Field
Learn about the Stinsons, a family of early aviation pioneers, who established the first municipal airport in San Antonio, Texas.

National Park Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

American Family Immigration History Center
Between 1892 and 1924 more than 22 million passengers and members of ships' crews came through Ellis Island and the Port of New York. Through this new website, you can now research passenger records and even see the original ship manifests.

Within These Walls
The National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, showcases 200 years of one historic American home located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Meet five ordinary families whose lives within the walls of the house became part of the great changes and events of the nation’s past, and learn how to look for clues to the history of your own home and neighborhood.

National Genealogical Society
Founded in 1903, the NGS leads and educates the national genealogical community. The society assists more than 17,000 members in tracing family histories. It provides links to numerous helpful genealogical pages on the internet, including immigration records, libraries, archives, and sources for specific ethnic groups.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Genealogists are the most numerous users of the Washington, D.C., research rooms, and 13 regional facilities of NARA. This website provides many of the finding aids, guides, and research tools that can prepare you for a visit to its facilities or for requesting records from NARA.

My History Is America's History
Find out how every American family's story is a part of the making of our nation though this National Endowment for the Humanities website. Major features include Fifteen Things you Can Do to Save American's Stories, Kid's Corner, American History Timeline, Saving Your Families Treasures and other resources.

Family Search
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long been a leader in genealogical research. Search its vast on-line record collections, find people with similar research interests, share information through e-mail collaboration lists, or locate a Family History Center near you to access many of the library's materials.

Federation of Genealogical Societies
More than 500 genealogical societies in the United States and Canada are part of this group that marshals the resources of its member organizations. Find a local genealogical society in your area in their Society Hall section.