Partner with the Genealogical Society of Bergen County
Collecting COVID-19 Stories
The Bolger Heritage Center is collecting materials which document the response of our community to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
We are seeking stories from Village residents as you react to new policies and recommendations aimed to restrict the virus’ spread. One day this time will be considered history, and we wish to document and preserve the materials and stories that demonstrate how you are continuing to communicate, work, commute, learn, use the Library, teach, create, celebrate, mourn, and give aid to others.
To read and see the stories submitted so far, please click here.
Local History & Genealogy Events:
Bolger Heritage Center Events:
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Wednesday, March 24 at 7:30pm Virtual Webinar. Stitches in Time. American quilts have decorated our beds and kept us warm for two centuries. Peggy W. Norris explores the great variety of quilts from 1800 to 1976, with a special look at quilts made in Bergen County. Get a sneak peek at the quilts to be displayed at the Bergen County Quilt and Coverlet Show. Peggy W. Norris, better known for her study of local history, has also made a study of American quilts, especially those made in Bergen County. She is a member of the local Brownstone Quilters Guild and of the national American Quilt Study Group and a quilt-maker herself. She and other local historians are planning a quilt and coverlet TBD, in Ridgewood. There will be an exhibit, special tours and lectures, and an exhibit catalog. Please click here to register.
GSBC Meetings/Events
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Monday, March 8 at 2pm Virtual Webinar. Part II "Picturing" Your Research - Finding, Procuring & Preserving Images. This session will be all about scanning, retouching, and organizing images. Novak will walk us through how to scan images like a pro, some dos and don’ts of retouching, introduce some basic concepts to organize your images, and peek at some tools that can help you identify the people in them. It’s an exciting, ever-evolving world—and one that can bring your family research to life. Please click here to register.
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Saturday, March 20 9:30am-4pm, Spring Seminar—Intermediate DNA: A Four-Lecture Program with Blaine Bettinger, The Genetic Genealogist®. Blaine Bettinger will present four live sessions and end with a Q&A period. For full details on the day events and how to register, please click here.
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Monday, March 22 at 7pm Virtual Webinar. What is Social History and Why Should a Genealogist Care? Social history is the history of ordinary people and how they lived their daily lives. It seeks to fill in the rich details of the past. Learn how social history can both improve your research skills and help you better understand and tell the stories of your ancestors’ lives. Guest speaker Annette Burke Lyttle. Registration required, please click here.
Genealogy Consultations:
Have any genealogical brick walls you need help with? You can now email the Genealogical Society of Bergen County directly to set up an appointment. What’s more, you can make an appointment with a genealogy consultant, who has expertise in exactly what you’re researching: Bergen County, New York City, New Jersey, census records, archival newspapers, etc. And if you need help using a specific database, they can help with that as well, be it Ancestry Library Edition, familysearch.org, or just internet genealogy in general.
Appointments will be conducted through the “Zoom” platform, at any time convenient for both you and the genealogist. To make an appointment, email the Society at gsbc.queries@gmail.com. To see the areas of expertise, please click here.
Did you know?
Through the Ridgewood Public Library you have remote access to, Newspaper Archive, an online resource for historical and genealogical information. You'll have access to newspapers from 12 countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, China, more, 1607-present. Explore your family tree and discover your history at NewspaperARCHIVE.com. Contact for remote access details.
Storytellers @RPL Oral History Project
Objectives are:
· To record residents’ life stories and significant memories.
· To identify and preserve the history of the community.
· To document Ridgewood family life, community
organizations and record historical moments.
How do I participate?
If you are interested in being interviewed or you know someone who is, please contact Librarian Sarah Kiefer
in the Bolger Heritage Center:
or 201-670-5600 x135
Volunteer Genealogy Consultants from the Genealogical Society of Bergen County
For Reference Assistance or an Appointment contact Local History Librarian, Sarah Kiefer
-- 201.670.5600, ext. 135
The Ridgewood Public Library is partially open to the public. Please contact
Local History Librarian Sarah Kiefer to schedule an appointment to visit the
Bolger Heritage Center: skiefer@ridgewoodlibrary.org.
Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 7 pm
Friday, 9 am - 6 pm
Saturday, 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday, 1 pm - 5 pm
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A VISIT
Communicating with Heritage Center staff is always helpful before a visit. You know what to expect and we can prepare for your visit. Call: 201-670-5600, ext. 135 OR email:
Advance planning is required for MAPS, ARCHIVES, RIDGEWOOD HOUSE HISTORY RESEARCH.
No advance planning is required for use of genealogy databases (on your own), books, periodicals, and CDs in the Bolger Heritage Center, or for use of any of our resources on microfilm (newspapers, NJ State Census for Bergen County, Ridgewood city directiories).
Interested in a tour? Local History Librarian Sarah Kiefer provided a virtual tour of the BHC and you can now watch the video here. As we are partially re-opened, you can also schedule a time to meet with Sarah.