New Local Book - Images of America: Citrus Heights by Jim Van Maren

Arcadia Publishing has released the latest volume of its Images of America series, focusing on the City of Citrus Heights. The book is authored by Jim Van Maren, a descendent of one of the city's founding families, and includes over 200 vintage images and memories. Although Citrus Heights was only recently incorporated, it is a community with roots that go back 150 years.

Fields of lavish, green grass and groves of beautiful oak trees greeted earlier settlers, who saw fertile land for farming and sustaining growing families. With early residents' insights for agricultural use and development of roads, schools, and places of worship, Citrus Heights has grown from a farming settlement to a modern suburb and a favorite place for families to thrive in Sacramento County. The Van Maren family was one of Citrus Heights' earliest founding settlers, and this book of vintage photographs is culled largely from the collection of community stalwart Jim Van Maren, whose great grandparents started farming here in the 1850s.

Highlighting such achievements as the first grammar school in the eastern part of Sacramento County, this collection is an inspiration to the community spirit. Assisted by Citrus Heights Historical Society president Wilma Camilleri and Citrus Heights History and Art Commission chairwoman Teena Stern, Van Maren documents in these images the journey of this singular town through the decades, with insights that only locals can provide.

Images of America: Citrus Heights is available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing or (888)-313-2665.

presented to you by Sandra Gardner Benward

Tips for Blog Subscribers - Part 2

In Part 1 of Tips for Blog Subscribers, we talked about what you see and read when you receive Blog updates via email or a Reader versus looking at the actual Blog site.

In Part 2, let's take a scenic tour of the Blog itself.

The top of the homepage includes the title of the Blog and a welcome message.  The Blog is meant to

promote Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society activities and be a benefit for its members. Use the Blog similar to the user-contributed sections of websites such as FamilySearch, Rootsweb or Ancestry.com.

Next on the screen is a row of clickable page tabs.  These are separate pages of the Blog that provide more space to display information.  "Home" is the main or front page where the posts appear in chronological order, most recent first.  A Blog post will inform you when a page has been updated.  You won't miss a meeting, etc. when you read the "Calendar" page.  Members are the Society's most valuable asset and

 "Member Spotlight" recognizes them.  Find additional help using the Blog under the "Blog FAQs" tab. The "Daily Blogging Prompts" page is a useful tool to formulate your submission to the Blog.  Using these prompts helps to get your genealogy noticed on the world wide web.  Have a brickwall?  Consider submitting a name for 'Madness Monday'.  Have a photo of a gravestone? Send it in for 'Tombstone Tuesday'.   Root Cellar is a major sponsor and participant in "Family History Day" - click the tab to learn more.  Additional pages may be added in the future.

Below every post is a line that identifies the author of the post.  Multiple names are listed because we have a rotation schedule for authoring the posts.  Your comments are helpful - make a comment on a post by clicking on "Comment".  The example below shows that two comments were made on that post.  Click on "2 Comments" to read them. The envelope icon will allow you to share the post with a friend.  A new window

will open with a form to fill in and send.  Next is a series of icons with several mediums to share the post; hover your cursor over each one for its name. Last, each post has a label(s).  These are like a glossary to find a particular topic.  The list of "Labels" are shown on the right side of the home page. 

In Part 3, we'll continue the tour of that section.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Tips for Blog Subscribers - Part I

The Root Cellar inbox (rootcellarsgs@gmail.com) recently received an excellent question from a reader:

Is the Calendar tab on the regular web site or Facebook?  For those of us not on Facebook, I don't see the news you reference on the Root Cellar homepage.

The question was in reference to the following blog post she received via email. (Bonus Tip: click on any image or photo to enlarge.)


This is what the post looks like if you receive updates via email.



This is what the blog post looks like if you receive it via a Reader



Blog updates via email or a Reader show the blog post only, not the actual blog site.  That may provide enough information for you.  Sometimes you may need to see the actual blog site.  In the blog post about the Calendar, it was assumed that subscribers were familiar with the content and layout of the actual blog site, i.e., "The Calendar tab at the top of the homepage...".

How do you get the the actual blog site from the email or Reader update?  Click on the header text.  In the first screen shot above, you would click on "ROOT CELLAR Ramblings".  You can also click on the other links, e.g., "Calendar Updated".  In the second screen shot, you would click on "Calendar Updated'.

The screen shot below shows the Blog and lots of additional information available to you.  In Part 2 of "Tips for Blog Subscribers", I will review these items.  In the meantime, roam around the Blog - click on the links to see the helpful information waiting for you.     

This is what the post looks like on the actual Blog site



The same guidelines apply to the Family History Day blog at http://fhdnews.blogspot.com.  You are a subscriber I hope!

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Roseville Genealogical Society presents "Saloon Culture in Antebellum Sacramento"

Mark your calendar!

The Roseville Genealogical Society will meet on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 from 1 pm - 3 pm at the Maidu Senior Center, 1550 Maidu Dr., Roseville, California.

The program will be "Saloon Culture in Antebellum Sacramento".  Join Sacramento Public Library librarian and historian James C. Scott as he leads a visual and anecdotal journey through the saloons of pre-Civil War Sacramento. The El Dorado, Mansion House, Arcade, Bull's Head, Round Tent, Magnolia, Humboldt, and Lee's Exchange all stood as venues for theater going, political rallying, sleeping, eating, voting, dueling, killing, drinking and gaming. James will relay the tales, characters, and events that made the saloon the epicenter of so much of what mattered during the city's antebellum history.

James is a graduate of Marquette University and has a Masters degree in History and a Masters degree in Library and Information Science. He has co-authored three books on Sacramento, including Mather Field, Alkali Flat and historic photos of Sacramento.  James currently serves as Information Services Librarian at the Sacramento Public Library, Central Branch.

Please fill out your surname cards and bring them to the meeting.

Please sign in at the Senior Desk and also at our table.

Everyone welcome.  Hope to see you there.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Calendar Updated

The Calendar tab at the top of the homepage has been updated to reflect the Root Cellar schedule for the rest of 2011 and our Spring Seminar.  If you have a calendar item to add or an edit to the current calendar, please send the pertinent information to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Datebook: Reunion Special Interest Group Meeting

Attention Mac users! 

The Reunion Special Interest Group (SIG) sponsered by Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society will meet on Wednesday, August 24th at 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.  The Reunion SIG, open to members and non-members, will meet at the Family History Center at 2745 Eastern Ave, Sacramento.

The program will include Rick Hanson's presentation on:

1. How to transfer Reunion database files via WiFi from your Mac to your iPad or iPhone.
2. How to transfer related photo and scanned-source files (in folders) using GoodReader to your iPad or iPhone.
3. Explain how Apple's WiFi, Apple TV and AirPlay technologies work together and the screen mirroring coming in iOS 5.

Contact: Ron Setzer, PreservesEditor@macnexus.org to be added to email list

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Datebook: Placer County Genealogy Society Presents Google Earth

The Placer County Genealogy Society (PCGS) will hold its regular monthly
meeting on Thursday, August 25, 2011, at 7 pm in the Beecher Room of the
Auburn Library at 350 Nevada Street.  This month's speaker is Phil Sexton.
Phil will talk about Google Earth. Visitors are welcome.

Phil Sexton is currently a State Park Interpreter III for the Capital
District of California State Parks in Sacramento, where he works on
interpretive planning and training of docents and paid staff, as well as
exhibit and event development. Prior to this, he was the Forest Interpretive
Specialist for Tahoe National Forest east of Sacramento.  His other
professional experience includes working in recreation, fire management and
law enforcement on the Tahoe, Inyo, and Sequoia National Forests and as a
Physical Science Technician with the National Park Service at Redwood NP.

For more information on the Society, its Study Group, Family TreeMaker User
Group and regular meeting activity, see the Society's Web page at
www.pcgs.pcgenes.com or call toll free at 1-866-894-2076.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond