Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society

Category: Arts/Culture/Humanities


This Year's Project: Red Willow Veteran Grave Sites


About Our Organization

SWNGS  non profit formed in 1975 to:  1) create & foster interest in & unite persons interested in family history;  2) encourage preservation of public & private records;  3) promote programs of education supporting growth & development of family history and 4) contribute & maintain genealogical research materials and equipment in the SWNGS library for future generations.

Free internet is available.  We are a Family Search Affiliate meaning our library provides access to restricted records on Family Search which can be viewed through the private servers at SWNGS library.

We scan & digitize old records & photos and WELCOME area churches, clubs, and individuals to bring in such things to be scanned to provide a copy housed in our Library and a scanned copy for your use on a memory stick to upload for your convenience.

Our library is available for on site research to EVERYONE.  We have books from around the world but specific interest is Red Willow county and ALL of Southwest Nebraska & Northwest Kansas. Our library is open Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1-4 pm and the first Saturday afternoon or by appointment.  View NEW web site:   www.swngs.org.

We house original records including Red Willow District Court books & Volumes 2-9  Marriage applications and certificates.

Vital record abstract notebooks include the McCook Democrat, Tribune, Republican and the McCook Daily Gazette which are bound by years and contain births, marriages, deaths, family reunions, school reunions, etc.

We helped regenerate the cemetery records and are in the process of photographing Calvary Cemetery and Memorial Park.  Riverview Cemetery & most smaller rural cemeteries are on our web site.  If it's genealogically related, we likely house it in our library.   We would be happy to give your family history a home in our library too.

We teach genealogy classes at McCook Community College and participate with McCook High School Bison Days.

We hope you look forward to and enjoy the weekly columns provided in the Gazette by our member, Sue Doak.  We sure do !

You are invited to visit and become a member as we are supported soley by membership dues and donations.  Your donations will help house & maintain the records for future generations.  Please drop by our SWNGS Library in the Masonic Temple Building where we can personally "THANK YOU" for your donation and perhaps help you with your family history!



Current Project: Red Willow Veteran Grave Sites



We are working with the local VA Office downstairs in an effort to help locate and obtain information to allow the placing of flag holders at the grave sites in ALL Red Willow cemeteries.

If you have a Veteran whose grave site is in need of being properly marked or in need of a flag holder please contact the SWNGS Library.

We are located in the Masonic Temple Building at 322 Norris Suite 7 on 2nd Floor, Elevator is Available.

The Library volunteers are there on Tuesday and Thursday in the afternooon from 1-4 pm and would be glad to help you make this happen for your loved one.  Bringing in their military paperwork will help to get this project completed.

Thank you in advance for helping us help our community in this project !

We invite you to follow us on Facebook !

Your donations are greatly appreciated on Thursday, November 2nd, during Southwest Nebraska Big Give Day.

Make your check payable to SWNGS and drop at any SW NE Big Give Station  OR  you can direct your payment to our Paypal account.



Past Projects

  • Technology Updates Need


    Project Wrap Up

    SUCCESS !!

    We did purchase a new Smart TV.  It is wonderful and very useful to bring in programs during meetings.

     

    Thank You !


    Project Details

    Being the sole repository devoted to preserving the Red Willow County records, etc.  we need to have the most up-to-date equipment accessible in our library.  

    We will replace our outdated screen and projector system with a new big screen SMART tv.  This will allow access to current apps and provide more educational teaching presentations and genealogy lessons.

    A need for two new laptops to more efficiently run our current large camera system and new individual scanner station.

    We THANK YOU in advance for helping us to better meet the needs to retain the records for Red Willow county for future generations.

    Please donate to the 2022 Big Give thru any of these options:

    Donate directly by check to SWNGS during Big Give day, mail your donation directly to PO Box 156 McCook, or donate directly via our Paypal account.



  • Saving The Past For The Future Update Camera and Video Set Up Units


    Project Wrap Up

    SUCCESS !!

    Recent donations are providing the capability to convert pictures, slides, vhs to dvds. 

    A generous donation from the local church of Latter Day Saints provides a modern microfilm reader.

    A donation of an individual scanner unit to scan anything from photos to books is also available for personal use to visitors.

    Thank You !


    Project Details

    We have two main areas in need of equipment updates.  An upgraded computer for our camera set up unit.  This unit allows us to photograph oversized books, plat maps and old personal family photos.  We have many people who bring in their old photos which can be touched up to the best possible ability thru our photo restoration software.  

    The second area is a completely different set up but still in need of a computer to convert old family slides, photos and vhs versions into the current digital format usable on most devices these days.

    Both of these units provide opportunities for us to help service the community of southwest Nebraska to preserve family heirlooms and keepsakes using the most current digital capabilities.

    As well this will also help to maintain records and provide local groups, organizations, churches, etc. to obtain a digital copy of their older record books and registers so they can be viewed and printed without constantly handling your original record books.

    We continue to work with the Courthouse, High Plains Museum and the many organizations and churches not only in McCook but also in the southwest Nebraska area from Furnas to Hitchcock, Hayes, Dundy up to Chase and Frontier and back to Gosper Counties.

    Your donations will help us provide the Southwest Nebraska community the ability to PRESERVE their photos and records using the latest digital basis possible.

    We thank you in advance for considering how your donation will greatly help to achieve this goal to maintain the past for the future generations!



  • New Location & Grand Re-opening Maintaining the Records


    Project Wrap Up

    SUCCESS !!

    We have purchased new business cards and banners along with some window and door signs.

    Thank You !


    Project Details

    Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to relocate the Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Library this year.  This came with many unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.  Those expenses include moving costs, new deposit, increased monthly rent, carpet cleaning and painting the new location.  Replace 3 bookcases and a couple of file cabinets but could use a few more. 

    Needless to say the search for a new location took several months and we are thankful for God's provision as we are now located at 322 Norris Avenue Suite 2-7 on the 2nd floor in the Masonic Temple Building.  We currently have a Facebook page and invite you to submit your genealogy questions or visit our newly rebuilt website at swngs.org.

    Lastly we need to purchase new banners, business cards, address labels to update our new address.  We are the only repository and group maintaining the records of McCook, Red Willow County as well as the other Southwest area counties.  Help us keep this library open.  We accept and would be happy to house any donations of your personal family history, cemetery records, photos, etc.  Feel free to stop by any Tuesday or Thursday afternoon or contact us to set up a special time for us to help you research your family history.  We have visitors from all over the United States.

    If you wish to donate from home feel free to donate to us thru Paypal using our email address which is:  swngs@hotmail.com           or checks can be sent to:  PO Box 156, McCook  NE

    Better yet we invite you to drop by and check out our new location at 322 Norris, Suite 2-7, Second floor elevator available during the day of Big Give, November 5, 2020  from 1-4 PM.        

    THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO THE GENEALOGY LIBRARY AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THE LOCAL RECORDS FOR THE FUTURE ENJOYMENT OF THE COMMUNITY !



  • SWNGS Library Computer Upgrade


    Project Wrap Up

    SUCCESS !!

    We were able to purchase 4 new computer boxes with Windows 10 which will take us thru 2025.

    Thank You!


    Project Details

    Our current SWNGS library computers are all Windows 7 version which will no longer be serviced by Microsoft come January 2020.  Therefore, we need to replace our current computers with Windows 10 version computers.  These computers are used to house many original photos, forms and records.  Also our www.swngs.org website is maintained via these SWNGS library computers.  We are looking to purchase new Windows 10 computers via downtown McCook merchants.  Our website space is currently donated locally by 20/20 Technologies and our wifi is currently donated locally by Wally Hampton.  Help us preserve the past for the future generations by continuing on with this immediate need and costly upgrade.  Your donations are very much appreciated.  Let's keep McCook alive and well for those searching past records as well as continuing to provide a service for those generations in the future.







$6,045 Raised So Far!
16 Donors
Legal Name: Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society

322 Norris Avenue Suite 2-7 P.O. Box 156
McCook, NE 69001

 
(308) 350-0126

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