Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

10/07/2026

Please come visit our display on family occupations at the Bainbridge Public Library, we had fun putting it together!

09/21/2026

Holly Ardinger has been selected by BIGS as its recipient of a Washington State Genealogical Society Outstanding Volunteer Award!

Joining the BIGS Board as secretary in 2020, Holly continues to be an initiative-taking problem solver. She finds the most effective way to make BIGS's essential systems that she manages work.

BIGS is fortunate to have Holly's quiet and diligent problem-solving abilities to keep essential systems running smoothly. Therefore it is with great pride and much appreciation that Holly is recognized as an Outstanding Volunteer by the Washington State Genealogical Society and Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society. Congrats Holly!

09/16/2026

In Genealogy à la Joleen's new blog post, Joleen gives us some writing prompts about changes and new beginnings. How did your ancestors experience the shift from summer to autumn? Does a September place or memory carry significant meaning for your family?

🌐 Read more here: https://bigenealogy.org/genealogy-a-la-joleen-6/

📸 Autumn 1897 photograph of Seattle's Pioneer Square looking north on First Avenue from Yesler Way, Washington State History Museum.

08/29/2026

BIGS members got together last weekend to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and partake in our annual picnic! Instead of meeting at a beach or a park this year, BIGS met under the gazebo at Port Blakely Cemetery. Members had a wonderful time of fun, fellowship and food. We took a special moment during our event to honor the memory of those who had loved ones buried at the cemetery, and BIGS board member Ashley Riley gave a headstone cleaning demonstration.

🪦 For those who are curious, here is a short history of traditional cemetery picnics:

In the 19th century, cemetery picnics, promenades and carriage rides were a popular pastime. Cemetery gatherings were often family outings more than somber visits. Families spread blankets or set up folding tables near loved ones' graves. Couples strolled, children played, and most people wore their best "going to town" outfits. Families brought meals in decorative wicker baskets or hampers, and often served a picnic on fine china, as if the cemetery were no different than a public garden. Chances are good that your ancestors participated in these picnics, too!

🔗 Interested in learning more? Check out this blog post from BillionGraves about the garden cemetery movement and cemetery picnics: https://blog.billiongraves.com/cemetery-picnics/

📸 Photos courtesy of Chuck Eklund.

07/12/2026

Family math! This is a great example of why creating family trees and researching branches often feels like an endless journey.

Need some help deciphering your own family tree? Or confused on where to begin? Let us help you! Check out the events page on BIGS’ website for upcoming TreeBuilder events!

🌐 https://bigenealogy.org/

07/05/2026

07/04/2026

Happy July 4th, Independence Day, and America250!

In Genealogy à la Joleen's new blog post, Joleen gives us some patriotic writing prompts that help us think more about summer and patriotic activities. How did your family celebrate Independence Day? Did any of your ancestors fight in the American Revolution?

🌐 Read more here: https://bigenealogy.org/genealogy-a-la-joleen-6/

📸 Independence Day parade, Seattle, July 4, 1898. Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Benjamin Pettit Photograph Collection.

06/29/2026

Founded in 2005, BIGS’ mission is to bring people together to experience and teach the various aspects of genealogical research. BIGS was born over 20 years ago out of the simple idea that there should be a place, or at the very least a group, where people could come together to discuss genealogy.

Want to learn more about BIGS’ history and what we do? Check out our website’s new About Page!

🌐 https://bigenealogy.org/about/

📸 Left: Mij Woodward in her Bainbridge High School yearbook, 1962. Right: Mij’s advertisement for a “new genealogy group” in the Bainbridge Island Review, 22 Dec 2004.

06/22/2026

Genealogy versus family history - how are they different and how are they similar?

🌲 BIGS can help you work on both! Join us at our next TreeBuilder event on August 1st, 10am - 12pm, at the Bainbridge Public Library.

🌐 Learn more about BIGS on our website: https://bigenealogy.org/

06/19/2026

Juneteenth and genealogy are deeply connected in their desires to reclaim, preserve and honor family history. This holiday reminds us that freedom is not just a historical event, but a family story. Genealogy allows us to trace those stories, honor the resilience of our ancestors, and ensure that their names, experiences, and legacies are never forgotten.

In this article from the Smithsonian, "The Historical Legacy of Black Family Reunions," we see how searching for family continues today, over 160 years after the last enslaved individuals were freed.

"Utilizing a variety of tools such as publicly available archives, slave sale records, family Bibles and blood tests many attempted to trace their ancestral roots to slavery and African villages. However, even with the advantages of modern technology, many today must still grapple with incomplete family histories as a direct result of their ancestors being defined, by law, as little more than property."

🌐 Link to full article: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-black-family-reunions

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Interested in learning more about your own family history? BIGS has experience researching families from around the world. Let us help you! Find out more on our website: https://bigenealogy.org/

📸 Tintype of a Buffalo Soldier and his wife. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.