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Ways to Use Google Earth for Genealogy – Elevenses with Lisa Episode 12
Episode 12 Video and Show Notes
Live show air date: June 18, 2020
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn about genealogy and family history.
The first 4 minutes of the video is the “Waiting Room.” This welcomes viewers and counts down to the start of the live show. This week’s Waiting Room features a Google Earth tour of about 100 Elevenses with Lisa viewers who have commented in the Chat forum during the YouTube Live show.
The Google Earth discussion begins at the 5:15 mark.
Today Topic: Ways to Use Google Earth for Genealogy
Google Earth Pro is now free and simply known as Google Earth. It’s available in three forms:
- Google Earth Web (in the Chrome browser),
- the Google Earth app,
- and downloadable desktop computer software which offers the most robust set of tools.
This session focuses on the desktop software.
Google Earth provides a 360-degree, 3-dimensional way to view your ancestor’s world! It’s a tool that can be used for solving genealogical questions as well as visually telling the stories of your ancestors’ lives.
From You:
From Lynnette: “I love spending time with you on Elevenses. I was especially thrilled to view the google earth for genealogy segment on Episode #11 especially because San Francisco is my hometown (although I grew up in Menlo Park).
All of my great grandparents came to San Francisco in the mid-late 1850’s. So, I decided to jump into Google Earth and see if I could find the homes of my family.
There definitely is a learning curve for Google Earth but I am wading through all of the help you have on your website! I just ordered your toolbox book also. I was thrilled to see that you will be doing Google Earth on June 18 on Elevenses.
My great grandparents, George and Sarah Atkinson’s home was located 1876 15th Street, SF. I entered the address into Google Earth and up popped their home. AMAZING!
Very few changes have been made since they resided there about100 years ago. It is incredible!
My grandfather’s shop was at 1785 15th Street and they had previously lived at 11 Clementina St. Neither on theses places exist now but I have located all of the places on the David Rumsey 1915 SF map although I have not figured out how to add it to Google Earth I have wonderful large photos of all of these places.
My family actually did not live far from yours. Google Earth has added a new dimension to my desire to preserve and share my family history. Thanks again for all of the fantastic hints, inspiring stories, and wonderful ideas and encouragement that you provide! Happy grandmothering! (We have 38 grandchildren!)”
Lynnette B.
After watching this episode Lynnette followed up on her progress.
“It was fun to see my information on your Elevenses this morning! I really want to put this all together. I have added the 1915 SF map and pinned the home on Clementina and the home and shop on 15th Street. I have added a description but can’t figure out how to add the actual old photo to the description! Will keep working on it! (Note from Lisa: See Chapter 18, page 201 in my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox.)
George Atkinson was a wood turner. He exhibited at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. I had fun looking at YouTube videos last night of the fair. You are just giving us too many great ideas! Thank you. (Lisa’s note: Read my article How to Find Family History on YouTube in 5 Steps.)
I also found some other interesting information on your website. The article and map of shipwrecks around Ireland was fascinating. (Note: She is referring to my article 5 Free Online Historical Maps for Genealogy.) I actually located the site where my great uncle George Henry Flack died on the shipwreck of the Alfred D Snow in 1888. You never know what can be found even after an exhaustive search!”
Getting Started with Google Earth
Download the free software by following these steps:
- Go to http://www.google.com/earth/download/gep/agree.html
- Click the blue download button
- Read the Terms and Conditions
- If you agree to them, click the Agree and Download button
- Follow the installation guide
- When complete click Run Google Earth (Your computer must be connected to the Internet.)
Navigating Google Earth on the Desktop
The Google Earth software is comprised of the following components:
3-D Viewer
View the globe and its terrain in this window. Use the navigation tools in the upper right corner to zoom in and out and view the map from different perspectives.
Toolbar
The toolbar above the 3-D Viewer provides one click access to Google Earth tools such as placemarks, polygons, overlays, paths, tours, historical imagery, emailing, printing, and more.
Search Panel
Locate a geographic location by typing the address, latitude and longitude coordinates, or names of the location (ex. Library of Congress) in the search box.
Places Panel
Save, organize, and revisit your placemarks and maps in the Places Panel. These are your private files, stored on your computer.
Layers Panel
Access a collection of points of geographic interest that can be displayed on the 3-D Viewer. Includes features such as roads, cemeteries, churches, and historical maps.
Cemeteries in Google Earth
You can use Google Earth to search for cemeteries in the areas where you ancestors lived. Start by searching for the name and town in the Search box. Google Earth can also show you where cemeteries are. It’s fairly comprehensive but of course may not include all tiny privately family cemeteries.
How to Find Cemeteries and Houses of Worship with Google Earth:
- In the Layers panel click to open More
- Click Place Categories
- Toward the bottom of the list click the small arrow to open Places of Worship
- In the nested menu click Cemeteries. Small cemetery icons should appear on the map. If you don’t see them right away, try zooming in or out depending on how close to the ground you are.
- In this list you can also click to turn on a variety of places of worship such as churches and synagogues.
- Hover your mouse over an icon to reveal the name.
- Click the icon to reveal the pop-up box which may contain more information including a website link or photo.
Rumsey Historic Maps
How to Find and Turn on History Maps:
- In the Layers panel, click to open (Click the small arrow next to Gallery to open the nested menu.)
- Click the box for Rumsey Historic Maps.
- You should see Rumsey icons appear on the screen. If you don’t, zoom farther out until you do.
- Click the desired Rumsey icon on the map.
- Click the map thumbnail image in the pop-up box to overlay the map.
How to Download More Rumsey Maps:
- Click any Rumsey icon
- At the bottom of the pop-up box click the link that says Download links to all Rumsey historical maps.
- This will download a file containing several hundred more historic map overlays to the Temporary folder at the bottom of the Places
- Drag and drop the file onto MyPlaces at the top of the Places
- Save your work in the menu: File > Save > Save MyPlaces.
Search for and download more free historic maps from the David Rumsey website. The features nearly 100,000 historic maps. Read my article The Best Way to Find Old Maps for Genealogy at the David Rumsey Website for instructions on finding and downloading free maps from the David Rumsey website.
Placemarks are the Containers for Your Content
You can use placemarks to mark locations on the map. They can be customized with a variety of icons and can be colored coded. Placemarks can include photos, images, text, website links and HTML code.
How to Create a Placemark:
- In the PLACES panel click the tour folder once to highlight it
- Zoom to the location where you want to add content
- Click the PLACEMARK button in the Google Earth toolbar
- Name the placemark and add a description of what it will include if you wish
- Click OK to close the placemark dialogue box
- Now the placemark appears in your tour folder and on the map.
- To edit the placemark so you can add additional content, right-click the placemark in the PLACES panel and select PROPERTIES
- When done click the OK button at the bottom of the placemark dialogue box
Resources
Cooke, Lisa Louise, The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, Genealogy Gems Publications, print. www.ShopGenealogyGems.com
Cooke, Lisa Louise, Google Earth for Genealogy digital video download series, Genealogy Gems Publications, www.ShopGenealogyGems.com
Use coupon code EARTH11 to get 25% off both of these resources.
Genealogy Gems Premium Member Resources:
Log into your membership here on the website. In the menu under Premium click Premium Videos and then click the Geographic topic tile. There you will find 6 videos with downloadable handouts:
- Google Earth for Genealogy (Beginner)
- Create a Free Google Earth Historic Map Collection
- 5 Ways to Use Old Maps for Genealogy
- Best Websites for Finding Historical Maps
- Time Travel with Google Earth (Intermediate)
- Finding and Using Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
Today’s Teacup
I picked up my mug a few years ago while on the road to one of my speaking gigs. We stopped by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum in Mansfield, Missouri and toured the famed author’s beloved Rocky Ridge Farm.
From the Website:
The Historic Farmhouse
“As visitors make their trek to the historic Rocky Ridge Farm, the first sight they’ll see is Laura’s and Almanzo’s beloved farmhouse. It remains as it was in 1957 and stands as an official project of the Save America’s Treasures National Trust for Historical Preservation.
Laura, Almanzo and daughter, Rose, arrived in Mansfield from South Dakota, August 30, 1894. They purchased a forty-acre farm, which had a one-room log cabin near the spring and ravine. After living in the log cabin through the first winter they built a room onto the side of it in the spring of 1895. The next spring (1896) they moved the new room to the present historic house location, where it is now the kitchen. A second room, with an attic space above it, was added to create a two-room house with an attic bedroom for Rose.”
Stay smart and stay brave! Thanks so much for watching friend. I’ll talk to you soon.
Next Episode of Elevenses with Lisa
Episode 13 will air Live on June 25, 2020 at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel. Set your reminder now here at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel.
Resources:
Live Chat PDF– Click here to download the live Chat from episode 12 which includes my answers to your questions.
Show Notes PDF – Genealogy Gems Premium Members can click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.) Become a Premium Member here.
I Want to Hear from You
At the end of the episode I suggested that you try and map out your own story starting by setting a placemark in the location where you were born. Did you give it a try? What other projects are you excited to get going on? And of course I’m always interested in your questions and feedback. Please leave a comment below. This is your chance to join our community’s conversation!
Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 242 – Genealogy Research Questions
Podcast host: Lisa Louise Cooke
June 2020
In this episode we discuss how great genealogy questions and research plans can help you accomplish your family history goals. Then I’ve got ideas you can start using right away to manage distractions effectively.
Watch Elevenses with Lisa live on the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel on Thursdays at 11:00 AM Central. After the live show you can watch the video replay at your convenience. You’ll find the show notes for Elevenses with Lisa here on the Genealogy Gems website.
Research Plans and BSOs
On March 26, 2020 I started producing a new weekly YouTube Live show called Elevenses with Lisa. Originally it was in response to the fact that COVID-19 had created a situation where we were all staying home. For me that meant that all of my in-person speaking engagements for the foreseeable future had been cancelled or rescheduled. I saw it as an opportunity to take on a new challenge, which is live video production.
I love doing the live show on YouTube. It’s definitely different than doing a podcast. It’s more interactive which in turn makes me more animated. And obviously it’s a visual medium so it provides an opportunity to show as well as tell.
Of course, sitting down to watch a video is more stagnant than listening to a podcast. When you’re listening to a podcast you can still move about and get things done if you want. So, I’m sure there are some of you who haven’t seen the Elevenses with Lisa show yet. That’s why in this episode I’m bringing you a few highlights of the YouTube Live show in audio form.
In episode 2 of Elevenses with Lisa I talked about the importance of creating research questions and plans. This was the first presentation in a series called How Alice the Genealogist Avoids Falling Down the Rabbit Hole. If you want to stay on track and achieve your genealogy goals, a research plan is really essential.
Then in the third episode I talked about “Bright Shiny Objects”, also known as BSOs, that can distract you from your research plan. I shared the techniques I use to deal with them so that I don’t miss a good thing while still staying on track.
If you watch the show this will be a refresher for you, and if you haven’t gotten around to watching it, I hope it will inspire you to join us in the future, as well as help you improve your genealogy research today.
You will find the complete notes for the topics discussed in this episode (and more) in the show notes web pages for these episodes of Elevenses with Lisa:
Episode 2 – how research questions and plans will improve your genealogy research.
Episode 3 – dealing with Bright Shiny Objects that threaten to get you off track.
Get the Entire “Alice” Video and Handout
If you enjoyed this portion of How Alice the Genealogist Avoids the Rabbit Hole and you’re a Genealogy Gems Premium member, I have the entire presentation edited together in one complete video class for you in the Premium Videos area at genealogygems.com.
There you can also download the complete handout which is ad-free and 7 pages long. It includes not only research plans and BSO management but also creating supportive research environments both on your computer and mobile devices.
Become a member here.
GEM: June Weddings
Monday, June 15.
For centuries, the month of June has been the most popular choice for weddings.
One of the purported reasons was that some hundreds of years ago, this time was just after May’s annual bath, so the happy couple and the guests were about as clean as could be hoped.
With the ensuing advances in plumbing and overall hygiene, dressy weddings are readily staged year-round, from simple civil ceremonies and backyard or back-to-nature vows, to elaborate church functions. In normal years, there are more than 2.2 million weddings across the nation.
The median age at first marriage for women is now 28 years— up six years since 1980. Men are now an average age of 29.8 when they take their first vows.
Sources:
June weddings, accessed 2/3/2020
Number of marriages, accessed 2/3/2020
Getting Your History Digitized
Our family’s history comes in many forms, and some of them over time can become obsolete. I shared in this episode my continuing progress on my own project of converting the rest of my old home movies that are in a variety of formats (8mm, mini DV, High 8, and VHS.) I use Larsen Digital and have been extremely pleased with the service and results. The folks at Larsen Digital have put together special and exclusive discounts for Genealogy Gems listeners and readers. Click here to learn more and receive exclusive discounts and coupon codes.
Read more: 5 Steps to Digitizing Your Old Negatives
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Download the Show Notes
How to Get Relatives Interested in Family History – Episode 11 (Elevenses with Lisa)
Live show air date: June 4, 2020
Episode 11 Video and Show Notes
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn.
Today’s Teacup
Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family. The movie Pride and Prejudice (2005) was filmed there. In my cup: Blueberry Merlot by Tea Forte Herbal Retreat. You can get it here at Amazon (This is an affiliate link, so if you make a purchase we will be compensated at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this free show!)
How to Get Relatives Interested in Family History
For me Family and faith have always been the answer for life’s challenges and turmoil. In this hour together we will recharge and look at ways to positively influence our family, now and in the future.
Preparing Your Relatives Now
Focus on ways to make the results of your research understandable by non-genealogists and create those items now. Make it a priority to share your findings in creative and simple ways as you go to help relatives understand the value of your research to you and them. You will have much more success down the road if you help build understanding today.
Sharing Ideas
Christmas Wreath and Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking
Click here for the Genealogy Gems playlist that includes the 4 part instructional series on making these family history wreaths.
Crazy quilt a stocking and add transferred photos of your ancestors using T-shirt transfer paper.
Repurpose or upcycle items you already have
I turned an unfinished crocheted heirloom tablecloth into a vest for my daughter.
Genealogy Wall Charts
You can order genealogy wall charts through websites such as MyHeritage or Ancestry.
Here’s a free fan chart from FamilySearch.
See all your options by Googling genealogy wall charts.
Embellished Picture Frames
Decorate an old picture frame with items reflecting the life of your ancestor featured in the photo.
Family History Wall Art
Make wall art like the matte canvas photo I made in episode 6 of Elevenses with Lisa. The show notes for that episode includes details.
Posters from Family Photos
Get posters made of significant photos from the past. I ordered mine from Vista Print. If you sign up for a service’s newsletter you’ll likely get notification of sales and discount coupons. Poster frames can be ordered online through Amazon and stores like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.
Tabletop Family Story Displays
I took an old locker and filled it with items reflecting my husband’s story. You could also use a small cabinet, crate, basket, etc.
Coffee Table Books that Tell Your Family’s Story
- www.shutterfly.com (where I made my books)
- Lulu Press
- MyCanvas (Ancestry)
In episode 206 of the Genealogy Gems Podcast I talk about how I made the book about my grandmother’s 50-year nursing career.
Genealogy Gems Premium Members can listen to the Premium Podcast Episodes 52-54 which feature a 3-part series on publishing your family history.
Google Earth “Family History Tour”
Back in 2009 I pioneered a use for the free Google Earth program called “Family History Tours”. These tours take a little time but are fairly easy to create, and they make a big impact. You can download Google Earth Pro for free here. Then, watch my video below for a closer look at family history tours in Google Earth.
Resources for learning how to create family history tours:
- Google Earth for Genealogy step-by-step tutorial video series by Lisa Louise Cooke.
- The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox (book)
Both available at the Genealogy Gems Store here.
Get More Ideas at Pinterest
Check out my genealogy Pinterest boards here.
Family History Blog
Sharing your family history information on a blog gives you an easy way to cross-post on social media as well as be found by others how are Googling to find information on the same family lines.
Start a free blog at www.blogger.com. Watch my free instructional video series on how to set up your free blog at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel.
Turn Family History Photos into Eye-Catching Memes
I use the Retype app. (About $2.99)
Other free alternatives include apps like Adobe Spark Post or Over.
Add text to photos, customize the font and text color, and save. An easy way to access old family photos on your smartphone or tablet is to save copies of the photos to a free cloud service on your computer. Then open that app on your phone. Select a photo and save it to your device. Once the photo is in your Photos app, you can then open Retype and import that photo. Add text, font, color and more.
Get more complete instructions and other mobile computing ideas like this from the book Mobile Genealogy: How to Use Your Smartphone or Tablet for Family History.
Create a Video that Tells a Story
It’s easier than ever to create videos, and no special skills are required. Video is the #1 type of content on the Web and with the next generation. Get instructions and ideas here at Genealogy Gems.
I trust all of my old home movies (8mm, VHS, mini DV, High-8, etc.) conversion and digitization to Larsen Digital. They do spectacular work! Click here for exclusive special discounts for Elevenses with Lisa fans!
The video below features one of my grandmother’s old home movies that Larsen Digital converted for me. And boy oh boy was I excited by what I discovered!
From You
Elevenses with Lisa viewer Jillian T. shared how she is bringing family history into her home office:
“I have tried to tune in each week to your Genealogy Gems ‘Elevenses’ (which is 5 pm here in Ireland and therefore a perfect end to my workday). A few weeks ago, you shared how you found the photo of your husbands ancestors and through newspapers found out more about the musical troupe. You organized to have the photo printed on canvas and the finished project was wonderful.
I have always wishing to do a ‘family tree’ on the wall of my office but was afraid it would end up looking like an arts and crafts project. You gave me the kick I needed and decided, if not now, when?
So, I measured up the wall, researched and trawled through my vast collection of photos. I was very conscious that I have better historic photos on my ‘dads’ side with thanks to a wonderful elderly cousin who shares my passion. But as a genealogist, I wished to ensure I had balance and so decided only three photos from each ‘side’. I found a decal that was a good price (about $20) and the perfect size for my wall. I organised for the photos to be printed and mounted on canvas (more expensive but knew if the project didn’t work, I could find another use for the mounted photos).
It took a few weeks for everything to arrive, as you will see in the attached, I did the base of the tree first – we called it the haunted tree as we had to wait another week for the photos to arrive. Then we took time deciding on the placing of the photos and then added the leaves.
I am writing to say a huge thank you. I will have this lovely project to remind me of this time, and as I sit here and type, it is lovely to know my family ‘has my back’.
Thank you for your initiative of the weekly meet up. Your energy and enthusiasm are infectious. I met you at RootsTech in 2016 and have continued to follow you since. Thank you for all you do and to you and your family, let me share an old Irish blessing “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
Warmest wishes, Stay smart, Jillian”
Gayle P. shares some of the ways she protects her family history from destruction.
“I have organized many things into books. My living room is my grandma’s family history room and some of my grandchildren love to look through things. However, when I ask if they would be interested in having certain books, they ask me, “Grama, why don’t you scan it and give me a flash drive or CD.” I decided to give memory flash drives for Christmas presents. I feel relieved that I have several backups.
For example, while my son was serving a two-year mission in Germany, 1990-1992, he wrote faithfully every week. 30 years later, he is now working for the Air Force in Germany close to where he served his mission.
I scanned his letters and pictures he sent to me, organized them in books and sent them to him. His children enjoy the scanned version of his memoirs. He plans on revisiting many of the areas where he served 30 years ago. He wrote four simple words that brought many tears: “Mom, thank you forever.”
Another example is I have scanned and organized my pictures by years and share many of these years with my family. Over Memorial Day, my daughter-in-law was in a panic because she could not retrieve her 2012 pictures. She called and asked if I could share my 2012 pictures. Within a short time, I was able to scan about 5000 pictures I had for that year and share with her. I had many, many pictures of her daughter and her family. Another “thank you forever” brought tears to my eyes.
I currently have over 500,000 pictures/documents scanned and have three personal backups. I am still have a lot to scan and probably will not get everything scanned before I die, but I am sharing what I have now so I know that some of my family will have a copy of my most treasured work and memories.
Scanning and sharing a ton in Idaho, Gayle”
Now there’s a woman who doesn’t need a “round tuit”, and who is definitely a positive influence on her family!
Cathy G wrote a comment to ask about the templates I use for my notebook covers and spines.
“Wonderful shows – really enjoying the elevenses. Such good information always. Especially enjoyed the ones on organizing paper and hard drive database. More please. One quick question: you mentioned printing your own binder covers and spines – can’t find a template in my Word program. Can you direct us to the one you use? Thanks.”
I’m happy to share my simple yet effective templates for the covers and spines on my notebooks. Genealogy Gems Premium members can now download these from the Resources section of the Elevenses with Lisa episode 6 show notes.
Watch My Free Presentation
Watch my free Facebook Live presentation of Fabulous Photo Discoveries at MyHeritage.
It’s all about finding and colorizing your old family photos. The video replay is available here at the MyHeritage Facebook page.
Final Thoughts on Passing on Our Genealogy
I hope you enjoyed the ideas presented in this episode, and that you take action on at least one of them. It may be just what your relatives need to see the family history clearer.
That being said, even if no one else in your family cares right now or wants your genealogy, It’s ok. We’ve done all we can and the rest is out of our control.
If genealogy has brought You joy, sharpened your mind, given you countless hours of amusement, connection, and satisfaction, then it’s all been worth it! No one can take that away from you.
And the way I look at it, when we get to heaven we’ll know a lot more people!
Next Episode of Elevenses with Lisa
Episode 12 will air Live on June 18, 2020 at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel. After the live show, the episode will be available as a video. Show notes will be published on June 19.
Click the video above to Set your reminder for episode 12, or click here. Please be sure to click our channel’s Subscribe button while you’re there. Then click the Notifications bell to so you’ll know when we post new videos and episodes.
Stay smart and stay brave! Thanks so much for watching friend. I’ll talk to you soon.
Will you please do me a favor and take this quick 3 question survey about the show? Thanks!
Resources (Premium Members):
Click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.)