Farmington Genealogical Society - CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Take a virtual tour through the Library of Michigan Rare Book Collection. View unique items that showcase Michigan’s early history and connect with the America250MI celebration. Click Here to register

Tuesday, September 15 through Tuesday, September 15

What Have You Been Up To? (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

We're getting back together after the summer break for an enlightening and interactive session. Bring in your favorite stories, latest findings, observations, and/or 'show and tell' items to share with the group.

Thursday, October 1 through Thursday, October 1

The Public Land Survey System: Carving Michigan Out of the Northwest Territory (Special Events)

6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Library of Michigan Online Lectures

The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) was established by the Land Ordinance of 1785 to create a standardized method for surveying and dividing public lands in the United States, primarily in territories west of the original colonies. Learn how the PLSS divides land locations into a grid system of townships and sections. Review key strategies for applying the PLSS to your family history research. Click Here to register

Tuesday, October 13 through Tuesday, October 13

Come join FGS Volunteers and research those elusive ancestors (Computer Lab Session)

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Hills Community Library, 32737 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills

Come join us for help with your research. Members of the Farmington Genealogical Society will help attendees look through the thousands of databases of Ancestry.com Library Edition plus FamilySearch.org (Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) database. Plus, where you might want an assist in research. Registration is required. Return here for registration link as it becomes available.

Tuesday, October 20 through Tuesday, October 20

Defying Stereotypes: Stories of Michigan's Immigrants (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

Martha Bloomfield, an award winning-author, oral historian, artist, and independent scholar has written several books about immigrants, migrants and the formerly homeless. Come join us and hear about various immigrants' stories based on her interviews with them and research on the social/historical context of their stories.

Thursday, November 5 through Thursday, November 5

Digitizing My Family Tree: Formats, Software, and Techniques (Special Events)

6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Library of Michigan Online Lectures

Explore the digital options for saving your family history research. Explore the variety of desktop and web-based applications researchers can use for organizing their data. Review best practices for both using these applications and uploading digital scans of records to the software. Click Here to register

Tuesday, November 17 through Tuesday, November 17

Wills, Thrills, and Chills: Digging into Probate Records (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

Come hear Archivist Kris Rzepcynski from the Archives of Michigan when he provides an overview of probate records, the different types of records created, including wills, inventories, and calendars, the family history content to be discovered, and where to find them online and onsite.

Thursday, December 3 through Thursday, December 3

Navigating Online Research Platforms – Comparing Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, and FamilySearch.org (Special Events)

6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Library of Michigan Online Lectures

Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, and FamilySearch.org are online family history resources used by researchers all over the world. Come explore each platform’s key features, strengths, and limitations. Gain insights into each resource in order to best navigate their content in a way that allows the maximum use of what each platform provides.

Note: Session will focus on the Library Editions of Ancestry.com and MyHeritage.com.

Click Here to Register

Tuesday, January 19, 2027 through Tuesday, January 19, 2027

I Have a Question (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

We’ll start the New Year off with an open-agenda session. Bring your questions, and/or a helpful introduction on a “How to” topic. This forum will allow attendees to share helpful information as well as obtain insights on family research tips, preservation techniques and repositories, etc.

Tuesday, February 16, 2027 through Tuesday, February 16, 2027

Revolutionary War and the Birth of a Nation (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

Professional Genealogist Derek J. Blount will present a short historical review of the War and a deep dive into available records. Common records of enlistment, pensions and muster rolls will be reviewed with an addition to little-known records that lead to others.

Tuesday, March 16, 2027 through Tuesday, March 16, 2027

Willow Run Rosies - A Labor of Love (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

How did the mothers, daughters, sisters, and girlfriends of men sent to war—many with little to no industrial experience—step onto assembly lines and transform the United States into the unstoppable "Arsenal of Democracy"? During World War II, millions of American women answered the call, rolling up their sleeves to build planes, ships, and tanks, proving that they were just as capable as the men they replaced.

This powerful presentation dives into the extraordinary history of the home front, from the legendary Willow Run B-24 Bomber Plant—where a new plane rolled off the assembly line about every 55 minutes at the height of production—to the broader nationwide movement that changed the workforce forever. We’ll explore the origins of Rosie the Riveter, the real women behind the image, and the lasting impact of their contributions on women’s rights, labor, and industry.

Presented by "Rosie" (Wendy Zielen) in authentic period costume, this engaging and interactive program will have you laughing, crying, chanting, and cheering as you experience the Can-Do teamwork that fueled America’s wartime success. You’ll hear firsthand stories, see historical photos, and gain a deeper appreciation for the women who didn’t just keep the country running—they helped win the war.

Join us for this unforgettable journey into the past and discover why Rosie the Riveter continues to inspire young people, working women, and trailblazers around the world today!

Tuesday, April 13, 2027 through Tuesday, April 13, 2027

Come join FGS Volunteers and research those elusive ancestors (Computer Lab Session)

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Hills Community Library, 32737 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills

Tuesday, April 20, 2027 through Tuesday, April 20, 2027

Michigan Souvenir Books - Visual Context to Our Family History Research (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

Official souvenir books are publications produced to commemorate special events, exhibitions, or celebrations. As printing technology evolved, their use expanded to include tourism campaigns that attracted visitors to destinations across Michigan. Library of Michigan Reference Librarian Matt Pacer will take us through the history of these publications, so come learn and discover how they provide both images and context for your family history research.

Tuesday, May 18, 2027 through Tuesday, May 18, 2027

Genealogy Jeopardy (Monthly Meetings)

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Farmington Community Library 23500 Liberty Street

Come join us in our favorite calendar close-out event - Jeopardy with a genealogy twist. Our host Steve Luty will lead us through an exhilarating refresher of genealogy facts, terms, speaker presentation nuggets, and other noteworthy research and historical gems that educate as well as entertain!