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• Beginning Genealogy and Library Tour (Saturday)

  • Start
    8 Feb 2025
  •  
  • End
    13 Dec 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Minnesota Genealogy Center, Mississippi Room

  Come learn how to do your Family History with our Librarian Jeanne Bielke-Rodenbiker. After the class, have a tour of the William J Hoffman library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. Open to the public. Just come ready to start your favorite hobby!

  About the speaker:
  Jeanne is the library manager of the Minnesota Genealogy. She used to run the History Fair at Hennepin County Library and was the Genealogy Librarian.
  

  Sponsored by: Minnesota Genealogical Society

  Experience level: All      

  Cost: Free

  Registration: Not required

  These free sessions are offered twice monthly: (1) on the second Saturday and again (2) on the last Sunday. In case of inclement weather: Please consult the Library page (or link for weather closures in the footer of each page on our website) to confirm we're open.
  

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• Beginning Genealogy and Library Tour (Sunday)

  • Start
    23 Feb 2025
  •  
  • End
    28 Dec 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Minnesota Genealogy Center, Mississippi Room

  Come learn how to do your Family History with our Librarian Jeanne Bielke-Rodenbiker. After the class, have a tour of the William J Hoffman library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. Open to the public. Just come ready to start your favorite hobby!

  About the speaker:
  Jeanne is the library manager of the Minnesota Genealogy. She used to run the History Fair at Hennepin County Library and was the Genealogy Librarian.
  

  Sponsored by: Minnesota Genealogical Society

  Experience level: All      

  Cost: Free

  Registration: Not required

  These free sessions are offered twice monthly: (1) on the second Saturday and again (2) on the last Sunday.

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• Upper Midwest Genealogy Institute 2025

  • Start
    8 Aug 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • End
    9 Aug 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Minnesota Genealogy Center
  • Spaces left
    2

  Register

  Upper Midwest Genealogy Institute
  8-9 August 2025

  Your registration fee includes all instruction and course syllabus material, as well as a Friday evening pizza fest and special Friday evening lecture.

  There is a separate charge for Friday and/or Saturday box lunches. You are welcome to bring your own lunch or to grab lunch at any of several nearby casual lunch establishments. 

  Institute Tuition
  MGS members: $210
  Non-members: $245

  MGS offers an introductory MGS membership, effective 8 August 2025 through 30 June 2026 for non-members registering at the non-member rate. If you chose to accept this offer, you will be asked fill out a membership registration form when you check-in at UMGI.
  

  Box Lunch: $15 per lunch (soft drink included)

  We will contact you in in July to ask or your lunch selections. However, if you wish to reserve a lunch, please select Friday and/or Saturday lunch when you register.
  

  Friday lunch selection:

  • Tuna salad on croissant
  • Smoked turkey wrap (smoked turkey, swiss, cream cheese, lettuce, tomato)
  • Club on hoagie (ham, turkey, bacon, pepper jack)
  • Ham and Swiss on Harvester Bread
    
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free

  Saturday lunch selection:

  • Smoked turkey and cheddar croissant
  • Chicken Caesar spinach wrap (fajita chicken strips, cream cheese, lettuce, tomato)
  • Roast beef and colby jack on hoagie bun
  • Ham and Swiss on Harvester bread
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free

  Questions or special requests can be sent to course coordinator Jay Fonkert at jfonkert@aol.com. 
  

  
  

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• Genealogy Smart Start: Things I Wish I’d Known

  • When
    3 Sep 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  MGS September Webinar
  Genealogy Smart Start: Things I Wish I’d Known
  Presented by Elizabeth Williams Gomoll

  Get some great tips from this genealogist who had to learn the basics the hard way, plus a few smart tricks she picked up from experts along the way. You can start smarter than I did!

  About the speaker:
  Elizabeth Williams Gomoll holds the CG credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She is in her third term as President of the Association for Professional Genealogists Northland Chapter, and has served as a Director for the Minnesota Genealogical Society and the Swedish Genealogical Society of Minnesota. Liz was co-editor of the MGS Generations quarterly journal for 10 years, and has published two books: a collection of WWI letters and photographs titled With Love to All, and co-authored Husförhörslängder, Swedish Household Examination Records, Framing the Solutions to Your Swedish Ancestry Puzzles. Liz received three awards for her genealogy society activities and four awards for writing projects. Her lectures for Legacy Family Tree Webinars have consistently been in the monthly Top Ten. She does client research and lectures professionally as Red Bird Genealogy Services (www.RedBirdGen.com).

  
  

  Sponsored by: Minnesota Genealogical Society

  Experience level: All      

  Cost: Free

  Click here to register

  
  

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• Exploring Dog DNA: Where Mutts Get Their Strut

  • When
    1 Oct 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  MGS October Webinar
  Exploring Dog DNA: Where Mutts Get Their Strut
  
  Presented by Kate Penney Howard

  Join Poppy the Weimaraner pup on her DNA adventure! Discover why your Chihuahua thinks it’s a Great Dane, why your retriever doesn’t bring you the paper, decode your dog’s family tree, and learn canine evolution from wolf to wow. We’ll play “Guess that Breed<” as we look at purebred and designer dogs. Perfect for curious pet parents.

  About the speaker:
  Kate Penney Howard is a genetic genealogist, specializing in brick wall work, HighRoH, and endogamy. During a bout with cancer, she discovered that she loves sharing her knowledge with other genealogists. She is intentional about addressing injustice and myths in her presentations.

  Kate has presented at Rootstech, East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, the International Congress on Medieval Studies, NAAP/RTK’s Untangling Our Roots, and the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 2025 speaking engagements include Rootstech, Ohio Genealogical Society 2025, and Ontario Ancestors Webinar Series, as well as local library and genealogical society gatherings.

  Kate studied vocal music and earned a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis in 2011, and has been pastor of North Christian Church since her ordination in 2012.

  Sponsored by: Minnesota Genealogical Society

  Experience level: All      

  Cost: Free

  Click here to register

  
  

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• 2025 North Star Genealogy Conference - Pre-Conference

  • When
    23 Oct 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Minnesota Genealogy Center
  • Spaces left
    22

  Register

  

  October 23rd
  Pre-Conference Event
  Minnesota Genealogical Center

  North Star Pre-Conference special workshop with David Rencher: "Irish Immigration into the Midwest" and "Strategy for Irish Research 1800–1930"

  Thursday, October 23rd

  1:00 - 4:30 PM

  This is a limited enrollment workshop.

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• 2025 North Star Genealogy Conference - Conference Ad

  • Start
    24 Oct 2025
  • End
    25 Oct 2025
  • Location
    Eagan Community Center

  Register

  

  October 24th - 25th
  Conference Ad / Donation
  Eagan Community Center

  If you would like to place a conference ad in the conference printed program but are not attending the conference as a vendor you can purchase an ad by clicking the register link on the left. We expect an attendance of 150.

  You can also donate funds to the conference to help us in our efforts to put on this event.
  

  
  

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