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→Internet Genealogy Takes a Giant Step Forward
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=== Internet Genealogy Takes a Giant Step Forward === | === Internet Genealogy Takes a Giant Step Forward === | ||
In 1995 genealogy on the internet took a giant step forward when two events occurred. | |||
In early 1995, Larry Stephens, a family historian with the University of Indiana, was on a genealogy email list for KY. He was impressed with the list and wanted one like it for his state of interest, Indiana. Receiving permission to use the university's email server he set up the IN list. At the time, email lists weren't free and the number of messages that could be sent was very limited, but this wasn't the case for Larry's lists. As people heard about the IN list Larry started receiving requests to set up lists for other states and areas. Before long hundreds of email lists were being run, under Larry's direction, on the university's server. Through Larry's lists hundreds of family historians joined the on-line genealogy community. | |||
In late 1995 Jeff Murphy, a family historian, uploaded a website for Muhlenberg County, KY and announced it on the KY email list. The people on the KY list were delighted at the prospect of websites with genealogy information and the list buzzed with excitement. It wasn't long before questions began to be asked about websites for the other KY counties, and people began to think that if Jeff could put a county website on-line, they could too. However, the majority of the people on the KY list didn't have a clue about putting together a website or writing html code. To answer this need Jeff put together a shell site and freely offered it to anyone who wanted to put a KY county site on-line. Jeff's offer was snapped up and by early 1996 most of the counties of KY had a website on-line. To bring some organization to the rapidly expanding KY sites Jeff put together a website for the state of KY and linked to all the KY county sites. | In late 1995 Jeff Murphy, a family historian, uploaded a website for Muhlenberg County, KY and announced it on the KY email list. The people on the KY list were delighted at the prospect of websites with genealogy information and the list buzzed with excitement. It wasn't long before questions began to be asked about websites for the other KY counties, and people began to think that if Jeff could put a county website on-line, they could too. However, the majority of the people on the KY list didn't have a clue about putting together a website or writing html code. To answer this need Jeff put together a shell site and freely offered it to anyone who wanted to put a KY county site on-line. Jeff's offer was snapped up and by early 1996 most of the counties of KY had a website on-line. To bring some organization to the rapidly expanding KY sites Jeff put together a website for the state of KY and linked to all the KY county sites. | ||
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The news of the KY websites traveled like wildfire to other lists and the question of whether other states would become available became the topic of the day. The answer wasn't long in coming. | The news of the KY websites traveled like wildfire to other lists and the question of whether other states would become available became the topic of the day. The answer wasn't long in coming. | ||
Bill Couch was on the KY list and his main interest was in the state of AR. Bill followed Jeff's example and in May 1996 uploaded an AR state site and a site for every AR county. It didn't take long before volunteers stepped forward to adopt an AR county site. | Bill Couch was on the KY list and his main interest was in the state of AR. Bill followed Jeff's example and in May 1996 uploaded an AR state site and a site for every AR county. It didn't take long before volunteers stepped forward to adopt an AR county site. | ||
=== The Birth of The USGenWeb Project === | === The Birth of The USGenWeb Project === | ||