Travelers come to Italy to seek out its splendid art cities and stunning resorts, but increasing numbers of visitors* with Italian heritage (60-80 million people worldwide can claim descent), are looking beyond the typical vacation itinerary to plan trips that will help connect them with their “roots.” (In the U.S. Italians are the fifth largest ancestry group. During years of peak emigration, many Italians also settled in Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Australia and various European countries.)

To help those with Italian lineage connect with their long-ago family histories, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has developed a roots-based tourism initiative called Italea; its web platform, Italea.com (available in four languages), was launched earlier this year. Giovanni Maria De Vita, a counsellor at the Ministry, who heads up the Italea/Roots Tourism project, says the goal is to support “every step of the rediscovery journey—from family-historical research to organizing personal travel experiences in Italy.”

Italea has branches in each of Italy’s 20 regions (in addition to the national platform), he says, supported by genealogy experts, travel designers and tour guides to help ancestry tourists connect to their heritage. De Vita notes that the Italea site has had more than 75,000 registrations in the six months since its launch.

Italy designated 2024 as the “Year of Roots Tourism in the World,” which, in addition to the website debut, has been marked by a series of cultural events in more than 800 small towns throughout the country. The Italea platform has also been presented in various cities in the U.S., as well as in Toronto, Montevideo, São Paulo, and Melbourne. (In New York City, it will be introduced from October 9-15.)

Searching For Your Past

In an era of mass tourism, where one-of-a-kind experiences are high on discerning travelers’ must-have lists, a roots trip may well be the ultimate form of custom travel. “People are looking for a part of themselves through a place,” says Antonella Riccardi, head of tourism at Italea Liguria. “Over time we lost a lot of links, but now we hope to create new bridges to the past.”

The starting point, of course, is recreating a family tree. Civil records are readily available from the 1800s, but some town and many church documents go back centuries more, to the sixteenth century, the latter thanks to the Council of Trent (1545-1563), when Catholic Church leaders ordered parishes to register all births, marriages and deaths. Over the years members of my extended family and their researchers were able to source one branch of our family, with the surname Sforza, to 1545. (This was an independent project and not connected to Italea.)

State Archives in Parma. Many civil records are now available online. (Photo by Edoardo Fornaciari/Getty Images)

Scaling that family tree can take a while, although Italea says initial research might range from several days to weeks, depending on the complexity of the lineage and how far back someone wants to go. Italea provides time and cost estimates for requested ancestral projects upon completion of a form on the site.

Italea also gives suggestions on how to get started on a search (many records are now available online). Among the places to check out are FamilySearch.org, a free genealogical site with extensive resources, and the Ancestors Portal, or “Portale Antenati,” with a large collection of Italian civil records. But enlisting a researcher in the area who knows local archives well can save a lot of time and effort in not only finding the right records but also in deciphering them—the oldest documents were often written in Latin with beautiful medieval calligraphy.

It’s fascinating to watch a family tree grow. The results can be especially poignant, as you learn the particulars of relatives you will never know, but whose lives were integral to your existence. Keep in mind that the number of great-grandparents doubles with each generation, so you could potentially find 128 fifth-great-grandparents; 256 sixth-great-grandparents, and so on.

Planning An Ancestral Journey

Once you have information about where your ancestors were born, married, and died, you can request information from Italea about organizing a trip to the places that you feel will have the most resonance. You’ll be asked to indicate specific areas of interest for a trip, like additional genealogical research, potentially meeting with long-lost relatives, and preferences for broader sojourns to get to know the culture and history of your ancestral area.

In addition to the customized hometown itineraries, there are thematic roots tours to consider. For example, those whose ancestors sailed from Genoa to the New World might be interested in a two-day Italea itinerary that highlights the city through the perspective of its emigrants with stops in the city’s medieval centro storico; the port with its ancient docks where many ships left for North and South America; the Italian Museum of Emigration, MEI, with interactive exhibits chronicling the expatriation experience; and the Museum of the Sea and Navigation, to understand the conditions faced by emigrants as they traveled by steamship and ocean liners across the Atlantic.

Putting together a roots itinerary involves more extensive planning than for other types of travel to Italy, but Italea believes that the time invested will yield many benefits. Ancestral tourism can shed light on many lesser-known areas of the country, an important objective in a place where popular destinations are suffering from overtourism. “Our goal is to promote the variety and uniqueness of every corner of Italy, highlighting the particular traditions and culture that define each Italian region,” says De Vita.

There are the indelible pluses, too. “We’re trying to find a more humanistic side of travel,” says Antonella Riccardi. “Something more tucked into the soul.”

*According to De Vita, government travel reports estimated roots tourism at 10-15% of overall tourism to Italy before the pandemic. While 2023 data have yet to be confirmed, he says that early estimates are suggesting a significant increase, as much as 11% over 2019.

You can read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2nxvn684.

Want to learn more about your family tree? Check out the upcoming History and Genealogy Fair at the Jefferson County Historical Society.

The event is a partnership between the society and Flower Memorial Library.

Ashley Pickett from the library appeared on 7 News at Noon on Wednesday to talk about the fair.  You can watch the video at: https://www.wwnytv.com/2024/09/18/historical-society-host-history-genealogy-fair/.

The fair will be held on September 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Historical Society on Washington Street in Watertown.

Guest speakers include:

Admission is $5

For more information, call 315-785-7714 or look at: https://www.wwnytv.com/2024/09/18/historical-society-host-history-genealogy-fair/.

The NextGENeration: Discoveries conference, jointly hosted by the Family History Federation and the Society of Genealogists, is an exciting full-day online event spotlighting genealogists under the age of 35. Taking place on 5 October 2024, the conference features fifteen speakers from around the world who will present their unique research, the day will culminate in a panel discussion. Transitioning from Passion to Profession will feature prominent experts in genealogy and family history who will share insights on carving out a successful career in this field, everything from academic pathways to researching and speaking.

Join us for an exciting lineup of speakers who will share their innovative work, much of which reflects diverse cultures and national traditions. For more information and to support the future of genealogy, see https://members.sog.org.uk/events/66141a9f1fce380008a49ebe/description

Pay What You Can

The independent directors of genetic testing firm 23andMe said on Tuesday they have resigned from the company's board after not receiving a satisfactory take-private offer from CEO Anne Wojcicki.

Wojcicki, who has been trying to take the company private since April, proposed to acquire all outstanding shares of 23andMe not owned by her or her affiliates for $0.40 per share, in July.

"After months of work, we have yet to receive from you a fully financed, fully diligenced, actionable proposal that is in the best interests of the non-affiliated shareholders," said the seven directors in a letter to the company's co-founder and CEO.

A special committee formed by the company rejected Wojcicki's previous proposal, deeming it insufficient and not in the best interest of the non-affiliated shareholders.

"That we have not seen any notable progress over the last 5 months leads us to believe no such proposal is forthcoming," the directors added.

They also said the special committee is unwilling to consider further extensions, and that the company's board agrees with it.

Earlier this month, Wojcicki said she would be open to considering third-party takeover proposals for the company.

23andMe, best known for its saliva-based test kits that offer users a glimpse into their genetic ancestry, went public in 2021.

Work is underway to make public again a University of Vermont (UVM) website that was a favorite among historians, teachers, and media sites. The Changing Landscape Archive went online in 1999 and is home to approximately 72,000 images of the state’s landscape over more than a century. According to a UVM statement posted at the landscape archive website, “The site is offline and will remain so until we are able to create a redesign and implementation that meets current standards for development.”

“All 70,000 plus images are inaccessible, but they’re safe,” said the archive’s director, UVM environmental science professor Paul Bierman. At present, he is working with computer programmer Katrina Czar to update the site for public use. “I intend to have the archive back up in a read-only format by the end of the year,” said Czar in a recent email statement, “however, that is contingent on it getting the all-clear from our security team.”

Bierman said he is paying independently for the work to modernize the code of the digital photo archive. “This is a pretty massive undertaking,” he said. “It’s like upgrading things from a version six to a version nine … thousands and thousands of lines of code need to be updated.”

The Changing Landscape Archive was funded with an $800,000 federal grant from both the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Over several years in the early 2000s, UVM students were hired to collect, scan, upload, and write descriptions of photos from all over Vermont designed to show how the state’s landscape has changed. Included in the archive are approximately 32,000 images of the build-out of Vermont’s interstate highway system.

You can read more in an article by Sylvia C. Dodge published in the northstarmonthly web site at: https://tinyurl.com/4cn5cekk.

What remains to be seen about the prospects for a hangar expansion at Lancaster Airport depends on whether there are remains to be seen.

Human remains, that is.

A headstone belonging to Johannes Meister, who settled on land now owned by the airport shortly before the American Revolution, was discovered several years ago on the property, near where new hangars are planned.

The marker for Meister, who died in 1815, is accompanied by other headstones buried nearby, and expansion plans can’t proceed until the airport figures out what to do with the stones and potential remains.

Grave Concern, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Lancaster County’s historical cemeteries, is “95% certain” human remains are near the headstones, according to member Steve Stuart. 

If remains are there, Pennsylvania’s 1994 Historic Burial Places Preservation Act comes into play.

“That’s the threshold question here: Is this a historic burial site or not?” Sam Mecum, attorney for Grave Concern, said during a hearing in county court Tuesday.

The act protects burial grounds that are at least a century old and in which no burials have taken place for at least 50 years. However, gravemarkers and memorials in such places can be moved with court approval.

To find out whether there are remains will take some digging.

A previous effort to determine if human remains were on site proved inconclusive because stones obstructed ground-penetrating radar.

At Tuesday’s hearing, attorneys representing Grave Concern, Meister descendants and Lancaster Airport Authority agreed to go forward with an exploratory dig using an excavating consultant.

That’s “the big unknown,” Judge Jeffrey Reich said. “Are there actual human remains anywhere near there?”

A dig date was not scheduled and could take some time to work out logistically, though Aaron Zeamer, the airport authority’s solicitor, talked of having it done before the ground gets too cold.

Whenever it does happen, a Grave Concern representative can be present, Reich said.

Regardless of whether remains are found, the headstones likely would be moved to Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lititz or Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Warwick Township, according to Zeamer.

You can read more in an article by Dan Nephin published in the lancasteronline web site at: https://tinyurl.com/2pcnbv23.

Here is an article that is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, computer hardware, computer software, and related topics. However, given the politics of these days,  I will suggest that every American should be aware of the lies and misleading stories that are deliberately being posted by political enemies.

I am not going to republish this about this fairy tale. However, if you want to read about the sexual smears and rumors concerning Democratic nominee Kamala Harris that are being spread by her competition, look at: https://www.salon.com/2024/09/09/secretive-right-wing-network-paid-influencers-to-spread-smears-about-kamala-harris-report/

I recommend you first hold your nose before clicking on that link.

The following is a press release writtn by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

WASHINGTON, September 16, 2024 — Today the National Archives launched a new website Declaration250.gov to help the nation join in its journey to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The National Archives is planning for a two-year celebration, in coordination with the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, also known as America250, and other federal partners and cultural heritage organizations.

As the home of the Declaration of Independence, the National Archives is planning to play a central role in the nation’s celebration. Under its Declaration250 branding, the National Archives will be celebrating the ideals of equality and liberty enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and commemorating 250 years of United States resilience and the pursuit of happiness.

“Declaration250 is our nationwide celebration, and we invite all Americans to celebrate with us,” said Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan. “From the Road to Revolution to the Spirit of Independence, we’re going to spend the next two years hosting events, discussions, and activities that will salute how far we’ve come as a nation and explore how we can continue to work together to build a more perfect union.”   

The new website will serve as an anchor to all the agency’s Declaration250-related activities over the next two years. Currently the site features signature programming and a countdown to July 4, 2026. 

It also points to a wide range of related National Archives resources, including an America’s Founding Documents page on the Declaration of Independence and a Calendar of Events. Relevant exhibits will also be shared from the website, such as Road to Revolution, which is currently on display in West Rotunda at the National Archives Building.    

“For the next two years, the National Archives will commemorate and celebrate the Declaration of Independence in the nation's capital, at locations around the country and online,” said Shogan. “I invite you to help carry out that spirited charge and join our national celebration. Learn more at Declaration250.gov about our plans for America's biggest birthday yet.”

Visit Declaration250.gov to learn more and to sign up for the newsletter to receive Declaration250 materials and updates.

A very interesting story can be found on the MyHeritage Blog at: https://tinyurl.com/eaxxw4hk

When Elana Milman was 6 years old, one of the children on the kibbutz where she lived let slip a secret. He said that one of the children in the children’s quarters had parents who were not their real parents. For days, Elana tried to get him to tell her who the adopted child was, and finally he admitted: “It’s you.”

Elana confronted her parents the next day. They took her to her favorite spot on the kibbutz, under a mulberry tree, and told her that it was true: they were not her birth parents, but they were the ones who raised her and loved her.

Elana Milman as a child with her adoptive parents

This answer satisfied her at the time, but as she grew older, she developed more and more curiosity about her birth parents. She pressed her parents for information, but it was only when she was 29 and pregnant with her third child that her adoptive mother finally gave her the first nugget of information: her mother’s name was Franziska Lewinska, and Elana was born in Germany.

In 1978, Elana’s husband Dov traveled to Germany for work and seized the opportunity to discuss Elana’s case with a German lawyer, who offered to help. He was able to locate Elana’s original birth certificate, which said that Elana was born Helena Lewinska to a Polish-Jewish woman, indeed named Franziska Lewinska, at the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp in 1947. It also listed her father’s name as Eugeniusz Lewinski.

After meticulous research, Elana was able to track down her birth mother, who had married and changed her name, in Canada. She went to visit and even to live there with her family for a year, and Elana was able to develop a close relationship with her birth mother — then called Franka — before her death in the 1980s. Franka shared with Elana that she had survived the Holocaust by escaping the Warsaw Ghetto and assuming a false identity. But she refused to tell Elana who her father was, and every search Elana tried based on the name on her birth certificate hit a dead end.

“Every time I quizzed my mother — like, what happened to her during the war and who was my father — she gave me different stories,” she told CNN in a recent interview. “When I bugged her too much, she said, ‘The only thing I can tell you is that he was a very good singer and dancer — and very handsome.’”

Elana accepted that she would probably never know who her father was. She wrote an autobiography — later adapted into a historical novel in English called The Secrets My Mother Kept — and after publishing it, she was interviewed in an Israeli magazine. MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet happened to read the article, and he forwarded it to the MyHeritage Research team asking if there was anything they could do to help.

The (shortened) story is that Elana eventually learned more about her father and also that she had a brother, a fact she had never known. Even better, she eventually met her brother and together they visited the grave of their now deceased father,

Elana Milman and her bother, Juliusz Gorzkoś, at their father’s grave

You can read the full story at:  https://tinyurl.com/eaxxw4hk and even watch a video on CNN television at https://tinyurl.com/48cyvmb4.

The Sullivan County History Museum needs your help. The museum says it has thousands of photos with no labels or information. It's asking people to take a look and see if they recognize the people or places in the photos.

The museum curator says many people use these historic photos in their genealogy research. She hopes identifying these photos will help give families a more complete history.

“If I had photos out there of my family history, I would want to know about that. I would be really sad if I lost that part of my family history. And there is potentially someone out there who has lost that history,” said Katiesha Benson, museum curator.

You can view some of the unknown photos on the history museum's Facebook page. The museum also invites you to stop by during the Corn Festival this week to look at the photos in person.