Latest update on digitization project: April 11, 2019
... I am part of the committee and we had to stop digitizing the newspapers when we had to move out of the Taylor Library. That took time to find a new place to reestablish our library resource center, and also, set up the equipment to digitize. We are ALL DONE with the smaller newspaper books, and have raised enough funds to purchase a larger scanner, which is required for the larger format newspaper books. That equipment has been picked out and we are waiting for it to arrive. Also, we are in the process of making larger tables, etc., to make the scanning easy and convenient for our scanners. We hope to start the process up again in the next couple of weeks (late April).
The smaller newspapers that have been scanned (which include many cities of the Downriver communities) are being put from a TIFF system to a PDF system and move to a cloud of sorts, and this takes a lot of time to make this searchable, but we are doing our best to make this happen. Soon, we hope, anyone will be able to go into our new location (Flat Rock, old high school), to search through the newspaper collection).
Now as far as being able to access the newspapers on-line, it is going to take $$$ (which we do not have) and time to find a on line searchable engine to make this happen. At this time, we do not know what we are going to be able to do about this....this is still in the working! It is our dream to one day, have that relative in Germany, Italy, France, California etc., to be able to access their relatives and the Downriver history.
- Cow-lean Wilkin
The smaller newspapers that have been scanned (which include many cities of the Downriver communities) are being put from a TIFF system to a PDF system and move to a cloud of sorts, and this takes a lot of time to make this searchable, but we are doing our best to make this happen. Soon, we hope, anyone will be able to go into our new location (Flat Rock, old high school), to search through the newspaper collection).
Now as far as being able to access the newspapers on-line, it is going to take $$$ (which we do not have) and time to find a on line searchable engine to make this happen. At this time, we do not know what we are going to be able to do about this....this is still in the working! It is our dream to one day, have that relative in Germany, Italy, France, California etc., to be able to access their relatives and the Downriver history.
- Cow-lean Wilkin
Current project status:
Phase 1 of a three-phase plan for conversion has been completed, with a grand total of 104,500 pages scanned as of February, 2019.
The majority of the old subsidiary newspapers from the former Mellus chain for the time period 1987-1990 are complete. Included in these are the Allen Parker, Brownstown Times, Lincoln Parker, Melvindale Messenger, Southgate Sentinel, Taylor Tribune, Woodhaven Times (also including 1985), and the Wyandotte Independent.
Also included in various years are the Trenton Times from 1978, and the Woodhaven Weekend from 1964.
Phase 2 of a three-phase plan for conversion has also been completed, involving the Ile Camera newspaper from 1945-2003.
Phase 3 of a three-phase plan for conversion, which is likely the biggest step, is in the process of being implemented. In general, newspaper publications from the mid and late 1940s will be included in this release. Other papers not mentioned above include the Ecorse Advertiser, Ecorse Enterprise, Southwest Detroiter, Township Tribune, and Wyandotte News Herald.
There had been a GoFundMe page assigned for this project, but it is currently inactive as of April, 2019. It is the society's hope that this page can be resurrected for further donations and support.
There is a program in place where the society will accept empty inkjet and laser print cartridges, which can be turned in for profit in an additional effort to help the environment.
Per Committee member Cow-lean Wilkin:
"The vast variety (of) genealogical data contained in each issue of any of these newspapers is incredible. It's just not a collection of names, but the local history (good and bad), of whole families, how they grow with marriage announcements, births, graduations, promotions, obituaries, and lesser known details involving their family histories and homes.
"I find some of the most interesting reading is in the World War II excerpts describing our boys coming home and how the Downriver communities rally around them for support."
OUR OBJECTIVE is to scan every page, convert it into a searchable format. At first, the initial project will only be available at our library in Flat Rock. In time, we plan to provide access via the internet FREE to everyone. While this may seem to be an ambitious project, we are confident with the help from our supporters, WE WILL SUCCEED!
The majority of the old subsidiary newspapers from the former Mellus chain for the time period 1987-1990 are complete. Included in these are the Allen Parker, Brownstown Times, Lincoln Parker, Melvindale Messenger, Southgate Sentinel, Taylor Tribune, Woodhaven Times (also including 1985), and the Wyandotte Independent.
Also included in various years are the Trenton Times from 1978, and the Woodhaven Weekend from 1964.
Phase 2 of a three-phase plan for conversion has also been completed, involving the Ile Camera newspaper from 1945-2003.
Phase 3 of a three-phase plan for conversion, which is likely the biggest step, is in the process of being implemented. In general, newspaper publications from the mid and late 1940s will be included in this release. Other papers not mentioned above include the Ecorse Advertiser, Ecorse Enterprise, Southwest Detroiter, Township Tribune, and Wyandotte News Herald.
There had been a GoFundMe page assigned for this project, but it is currently inactive as of April, 2019. It is the society's hope that this page can be resurrected for further donations and support.
There is a program in place where the society will accept empty inkjet and laser print cartridges, which can be turned in for profit in an additional effort to help the environment.
Per Committee member Cow-lean Wilkin:
"The vast variety (of) genealogical data contained in each issue of any of these newspapers is incredible. It's just not a collection of names, but the local history (good and bad), of whole families, how they grow with marriage announcements, births, graduations, promotions, obituaries, and lesser known details involving their family histories and homes.
"I find some of the most interesting reading is in the World War II excerpts describing our boys coming home and how the Downriver communities rally around them for support."
OUR OBJECTIVE is to scan every page, convert it into a searchable format. At first, the initial project will only be available at our library in Flat Rock. In time, we plan to provide access via the internet FREE to everyone. While this may seem to be an ambitious project, we are confident with the help from our supporters, WE WILL SUCCEED!
Project Summation:
The Downriver Genealogical Society, in its continuing efforts to support our community, has developed a program to support the direct scanning of 60 years of newspapers from Wayne County, Michigan and surrounding areas. This “Newspaper Digitizing Project” is a long-term effort to preserve the local history, customs, and traditions that have made the downriver area what it is today. Heritage Media Group, publishers of downriver papers for 21 communities, has chosen us, the Downriver Genealogical Society, to preserve the history of our area. This honor is a testament to our 33-year history of preserving the past for future generations.
In January of 2013, we became the custodians of their collection of newspapers from 1943 – 2003, currently in a storage facility. Our objective is to scan each and every page, convert it into a searchable format and provide access via the internet free to everyone. While this may seem an ambitious project, we are confident with some help from our supporters we will succeed!
In January of 2013, we became the custodians of their collection of newspapers from 1943 – 2003, currently in a storage facility. Our objective is to scan each and every page, convert it into a searchable format and provide access via the internet free to everyone. While this may seem an ambitious project, we are confident with some help from our supporters we will succeed!
The vast variety of genealogical data contained in each issue of any of these newspapers is incredible. It’s not just a collection of names but the local history (good and bad) of whole families, how they grow with marriage announcements, birth announcements, graduations, promotions at work, obituaries, and lesser known details involving their family history and homes. Some are the success stories of local businesses, even the ads become valuable snippets of information about some families.
Bacon Memorial District Library has nearly 133 years of Wyandotte newspapers on rolls of microfilm beginning in 1880 to the present day. This wealth of information is accessible to the public by using our microfilm reader/printers, however searching can be time consuming and requires a visit to the library.
We are excited to announce a new initiative to digitize these rolls of microfilm and make them available online, for free, to anyone with an internet connection. Additionally, the newspapers will be keyword-searchable, enabling users to find all mentions of a particular name or term with one search.
The value of making these newspapers available online is monumental. Historic newspapers offer an abundance of data about civic, political, cultural and social events of the period they document. Not only will residents be able to access obituaries of their ancestors, researchers be able to trace small town political developments, curious students be able to travel back in time, but Wyandotte and the surrounding Downriver community’s profile will be raised throughout the world. Opportunities to link to depositories of information such as the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America Project abound.
We are excited to announce a new initiative to digitize these rolls of microfilm and make them available online, for free, to anyone with an internet connection. Additionally, the newspapers will be keyword-searchable, enabling users to find all mentions of a particular name or term with one search.
The value of making these newspapers available online is monumental. Historic newspapers offer an abundance of data about civic, political, cultural and social events of the period they document. Not only will residents be able to access obituaries of their ancestors, researchers be able to trace small town political developments, curious students be able to travel back in time, but Wyandotte and the surrounding Downriver community’s profile will be raised throughout the world. Opportunities to link to depositories of information such as the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America Project abound.
The equipment necessary to preserve our history is expensive. Along with the large format scanners, we’ll need internet access and servers for our volunteer workers to complete this project. We are pursuing the potential of national grants for the long-term financial success but the donations we receive will help us get started that much sooner.
As a 501(c)3 organization, all donations are a tax deductible investment in preserving this historical data. We are anxious to acknowledge all donors on our website, with your permission. You can also review our progress.
As a 501(c)3 organization, all donations are a tax deductible investment in preserving this historical data. We are anxious to acknowledge all donors on our website, with your permission. You can also review our progress.