In 1996, a small group of individuals decided to combine their efforts to coordinate the largest all-volunteer genealogy project to date online. This endeavor was given the name of The USGenWeb Project. Currently one of the largest sites to gather free genealogical information online, The USGenWeb Project has grown and become a trusted starting place for many family historians.
Currently, there are estimated to be over 1,000,000 volunteers working on The USGenWebProject. The site is divided into different projects (interment records, county vital records, passenger lists, etc.) and visitors can access records or volunteer to work on gathering and transcribing hard copies of records as well.
The USGenWeb Project is a compilation of resources for genealogists which are categorized by topic. Currently, there are estimated to be over 1,000,000 volunteers working on The USGenWebProject. The site is divided into different projects (interment records, county vital records, passenger lists, etc.) and visitors can access records or volunteer to work on gathering and transcribing hard copies of records as well. These projects are comprehensive and include:
Information which can be found online includes the ancestor's name, location, and dates, an email link to the researcher, and the researcher's web page on the family, if there is one.
The amount of information in the archives is vast and can be difficult to find at times. The projects being divided in this organizational strategy is logical, but again, the amount of information is extensive.
The front page has some glitches and images load strangely on some of our review team's machines. This made navigation on the front page difficult. The problem can be circumvented by clicking on the "Site Map" link and navigating from there.
Help and tutorials are non-existent and there is little in the way of on-site help or support. There is no "customer service" department since this site is run by a 100% volunteer staff and is a repository of links to information. There is no product being sold by The USGenWeb Project.
The USGenWeb Project has modest roots, but has grown into a behemoth over the last several years. Their commitment to providing free information for all makes them stand out from the crowd. The USGenWeb Project is a resource which genealogists can use and reuse to narrow down research and add more leaves to their family tree. However, we wouldn't recommend using them for more than research.
Star Rating
2 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
kayshel
I have used this site numerous times to find information for my family history searches and found a lot of data. I will continue to use it as research takes me there
Marilyn Greer
The people who run this site are very helpful. I have used it many times.