As a veteran virtual conference attendee (five years of RootsTech pajama sessions, plus NGS, PaGE, North Carolina, and more!), it was finally time to experience one in person – especially when NGS landed practically in my backyard this year. I’ve finally taken the plunge into my first in-person National Genealogical Society conference. As I write this from my spacious room in the East Tower of The Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky, I can barely contain my excitement for what the next few days will bring.
A Different Kind of Conference Venue
What a contrast this is from my last in-person conference experience at the Ohio Genealogical Society gathering at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky! Instead of water slides and indoor safari themes, I’m surrounded by the elegant atmosphere of downtown Louisville’s premier hotel. The Galt House is absolutely massive – I feel like I could get lost in here for days.
But here’s the beauty of it: my room is perfectly positioned just steps from the elevator in the East Tower, and all the conference sessions are right here in this same tower. No trudging across hotel complexes or figuring out shuttle schedules – just a quick elevator ride to genealogical heaven. Sometimes the conference gods smile upon you with perfect logistics!
The Calm Before the Storm
There’s something peaceful about arriving early to a conference. The hallways are quiet, the registration desk isn’t swamped, and I actually had time to chat with the volunteers when I checked in earlier. Tomorrow the workshops begin (though I won’t be attending any), and by Saturday morning this place will be buzzing with hundreds of fellow genealogy enthusiasts when the main conference sessions kick off.
Instead of workshops tomorrow, I have my own little research retreat planned. I’m going to spend the day in my room transcribing letters from my great uncle Steve that I scanned right before leaving Cincinnati. There’s something fitting about working on family documents while attending a conference dedicated to family history – it feels like the perfect way to ease into the NGS experience.
Exhibition Hall and Evening Plans
Tomorrow evening brings the opening of the Exhibition Hall, and I’m already mentally preparing my vendor hall strategy. (Let’s be honest – we all know I’ll come home with more books and research tools than my suitcase can handle!)
But tonight? Tonight I get to meet one of my genealogy heroes: Crista Cowan, Ancestry.com’s corporate genealogist! I’ve been taking her Pajamas & Pedigrees classes and have learned so much from her already. The fact that I get to meet her in person feels surreal. I’m trying to play it cool, but inside I’m doing a little genealogy happy dance.
Looking Ahead
The next few days promise to be filled with learning, networking, and hopefully some breakthrough moments for my ongoing research projects. I’m particularly hoping to glean new insights for my Swedish brick wall work and maybe pick up some advanced DNA strategies for that persistent “Mysterious Mr. Max” case that’s been keeping me up at nights.
There’s something magical about being surrounded by people who understand your excitement over census records and DNA matches. After years of virtual conferences, I’m ready to experience that energy in person.
First Impressions
So far, Louisville is treating me well. The drive down from Cincinnati was easy (thank goodness for good weather!), and it’s definitely a different view of the Ohio River than what I normally see from downtown Cincinnati. I’m not planning to explore the city much, but I do hope to attend some of the meetups and social events to connect with more fellow genealogists.
Stay tuned for daily updates as this genealogy adventure unfolds! I have a feeling this is going to be one of those conferences that changes how I approach my research.
Have you attended NGS before? What were your favorite sessions or experiences? Drop a comment – I’d love to hear your NGS stories!
Leave a Reply