DOING GENEALOGICAL WORK IN CONNECTICUT: FACTS AND REALITIES

In conjunction with your trip to Hartford for the Conference, you may find opportunities to visit repositories where a great many family records are located.

To get to vital records for the 19th century, think of the Connecticut State Library first. (http://www.cslib.org ) They have probate, land, church and vital records and much more for all of the towns in Connecticut. The Library is only a mile away from the hotel.

The Vital Records Office at the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 410 Capitol Ave., ( http://www.dph.state.ct.us/PB/HISR/Vital_Records.htm ) maintains a statewide registry of all births, marriages, civil unions, deaths and fetal deaths which have occurred in Connecticut since July 1, 1897.

The Hartford Bureau of Vital Statistics , in City Hall, is within walking distance of the hotel and Convention Center. (http://www.hartford.gov/health/vitalrecords/vitalrecs.htm )They do not do searches but will provide documents.

If you plan to go to cities or towns for 20th century vital records, only birth records access is restricted by law to members of one of the incorporated genealogical organizations listed on the Connecticut State Library website ( http://www.cslib.org/list.htm ). Several of these groups will be exhibitors at the Conference. However, note that even though the law does not require it, some Town Clerks expect a membership card from one of these organizations for ALL vital records access.