Excess history and genealogy books available for a small donation. More books added monthly. Click 'More' for list and instructions.

Santa Clara, California is one of the ten oldest incorporated cities in the Bay Area with a history that predates California statehood and includes indigenous people. Yet the most common question people ask today is “Where is downtown Santa Clara?” Local forty-year resident, guide, and heritage researcher Donna West walks the virtual path of Franklin Street, showing us hidden treasures, as the people and ghosts of Santa Clara, past and present, come alive.

Our DNA SIG is a discussion group that meets to share information and learn from each other. If you have done a DNA test with Ancestry, FTDNA, MyHeritage or 23andMe and would like to learn more about what your results might tell you about your family tree, you are welcome to join us. This is not a class but rather a sharing forum. We combine our genealogy with a pinch of DNA to learn more about how to build our own family trees.

Genealogy Techniques examines different strategies and tools for effective genealogy. Each month, we do a deep dive into a one topic and learn how to add this tool or process into our personal genealogy toolbox. Examples of past classes include city directories, newspaper research, reading between the lines to get the most out of records, property research, finding record images, and case studies on a variety of topics. Most classes are recorded and archived in the members‐only area of the SCCHGS website. This is not a beginner course, but genealogists of all levels should find something in each session that will help advance their research.

The Irish Genealogy Special Interest Group is a group of people interested in Irish Genealogy. We meet monthly (except August and December) to share tips, tools, strategies, and struggles. We love to learn from each other. Please join us on our quest to identify and learn about our Irish ancestors.

Our Writing SIG is a discussion group that meets to share writing and get feedback from other writers. If you would like a small support group to help or share your writing on family history or local history, this may be the group for you. This is not a class but working writing group.

Learn how combining traditional research with DNA evidence revealed an unknown grandfather in this compelling case study. See how Y-DNA and autosomal DNA used in tandem with the documentary sources solved this family’s mystery. Diana Elder is a professional genealogist accredited in the Gulf South region of the United States. Diana authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide and co-authored the companion volume, Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence. Diana and her daughter, Nicole Dyer, host the Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast and share research tips on their website.

Our DNA SIG is a discussion group that meets to share information and learn from each other. If you have done a DNA test with Ancestry, FTDNA, MyHeritage or 23andMe and would like to learn more about what your results might tell you about your family tree, you are welcome to join us. This is not a class but rather a sharing forum. We combine our genealogy with a pinch of DNA to learn more about how to build our own family trees.

Our Writing SIG is a discussion group that meets to share writing and get feedback from other writers. If you would like a small support group to help or share your writing on family history or local history, this may be the group for you. This is not a class but working writing group.

Genealogy Techniques examines different strategies and tools for effective genealogy. Each month, we do a deep dive into a one topic and learn how to add this tool or process into our personal genealogy toolbox. Examples of past classes include city directories, newspaper research, reading between the lines to get the most out of records, property research, finding record images, and case studies on a variety of topics. Most classes are recorded and archived in the members‐only area of the SCCHGS website. This is not a beginner course, but genealogists of all levels should find something in each session that will help advance their research.

The Irish Genealogy Special Interest Group is a group of people interested in Irish Genealogy. We meet monthly (except August and December) to share tips, tools, strategies, and struggles. We love to learn from each other. Please join us on our quest to identify and learn about our Irish ancestors.