The House on Magnolia One House, Three Families, and 65 Years on St. Paul's East Side

What do a quiet Swedish couple, a German immigrant, a Polish phone operator & a toddler with sticky fingers have in common?
One little East Side house.
65 years. 3 families.
Read the story 👉 open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...
#FamilyHistory #StPaulMN #TheHouseOnMagnolia

Poignant and Wishful: A Letter From my 2x Great-Grandfather Thomas Stieren writes a letter of encouragement with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

My 2x great-grandfather, Thomas, lived through war and hardship.
I never met him—but I wanted to know what he’d say if he could.
So I asked. And this imagined letter reminded me why I do this work.
Read the post: kirsidahl.substack.com/p/poignant-a...

God Bread: An Italian Easter Tradition Passed Down for Generations YouTube video by Kirsi Dahl - Genealogy Stories From the Tree

My great-grandmother brought a tradition with her from southern Italy: a savory Easter pie we call God Bread. 🍞🇮🇹

Here’s a short video I created about it.

youtu.be/QWYEpQJcx1Y

Curious — does your family have a unique name or twist on this dish?

Transcribing History with AI: A Surprising Experiment Testing a Civil War Document on 5 Different AI Platforms

I did a test with 5 AI platforms. The results varied, but there was a big surprise when I asked each of them to rank the results.

kirsidahl.substack.com/p/transcribi...

The Civil War Experiences of Thomas Stieren, On and Off the Battlefield - Part 1 The war was just the beginning. The hardest fight came after.

🚨 New Story Alert! 🚨
Thomas Stieren joined the cavalry despite having almost no experience riding horses—and soon paid the price. From brutal training to a life-long debilitating injury, his first months in service were anything but glamorous.

📖 open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

Thomas Stieren's Declaration of Intent to Become a U.S. Citizen Thomas Stieren declares citizenship at the brink of Civil War in "The Last Quiet Day"

Nov 6, 1860: The U.S. elects Lincoln, and my 2x great-grandfather, Thomas Stieren, signs his Declaration of Citizenship—knowing war is inevitable.

This story imagines what it meant to choose America on the brink of war.

📖 Read the full story: kirsidahl.substack.com/p/the-last-q...

The Value of an Editor in Family History Writing Listen now | A copy editor is an important part of helping your stories succeed but don't let perfection get in the way of authenticity

Every writer needs an editor! In the latest podcast, I chat with my editor & friend about the importance of feedback, the difference between editing and creative critique, and why trust is key in an editor-writer relationship.

Listen here 🎧: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

Defining Moments: The Women Who Shaped My Family Tree Stories of courage, fortitude, and the choices that shaped generations

March is #WomensHistoryMonth, and I’m celebrating the bold, determined women in my family tree.

From defying tradition for love to fighting for workers' rights, their choices shaped generations. Read their stories: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

💜 #FamilyHistory #HerStory

The story connected to my preview is now live!

It was the summer of 1936. The heat was relentless. And my grandfather made a choice that changed everything.

📖 Ain’t Gonna Be Nothin’ – New blog post: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

UNIDENTIFIED All of these photos were in Mary Alice Devine's (daughter of Ellen Geehan & Robert Devine) collection. Mary Alice Devine was born in Blakley in Scott County, Minnesota. Born 1890. She married Robe...

Somewhere in this album are stories waiting to be told, but most remain nameless and unidentified. Could they be part of your family tree?

🔍 View the album & help solve the mystery: flic.kr/s/aHsjzfKHaY

#Genealogy #FamilyHistory #UnknownAncestors #CrowdsourcingHistory #CabinetCards

Kirsi Dahl on Substack What great fun! Thanks for tagging me, @Lori Olson White PREVIEW: The air was thick and unmoving, the kind of heat that pressed down on a person, heavy and relentless. Fifteen-year-old Louis sat dre...

substack.com/@kirsidahl/n...
Sometimes, you just need some great #Genealogy content to read. Haven’t found these outstanding Substacks yet? You’ll find Kirsi Dahl & Lori Olson White serving up #FamilyHistory content on #GenStack each week. Check out their preview! @kirsidahl.bsky.social

A Place at the Table My Mom’s Love Affair with Pfaltzgraff Dishes

🍽️ My mom’s Pfaltzgraff dishware wasn’t just for show; it was her way of bringing us all together. Here’s how her collections became part of our family story: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

A New Perspective on Storytelling Listen now | When a Story Stays Untold

Genealogy is often about sharing discoveries. What happens when a story feels too personal to share?

🎙️ Tune in now: substack.com/home/post/p-...

Have you tried writing without the intention of sharing? Let me know your experience.

#Genealogy #Storytelling #Podcast

Thanks, Cynthia!

If there was one thing I could tell new family researchers it’s this! “…hints might suggest a promising lead, they should never replace your own research.”

Family history research is about painstaking attention to detail, it’s about assembling multiple sources and multiple pieces of evidence before reaching a reasoned conclusion about our ancestors life. This step by step journey and the attention to detail shows exactly how it should be done 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

What’s in a Name? Quite Possibly, Everything. The Stories Behind the Names

What do our names reveal about us? In my latest blog post, I uncover the stories behind some fascinating names in my family tree—including my own. Names are more than labels; they’re legacies. 🌟

🔗 Read here: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

What’s the most unique name in your family tree?

NEW PODCAST EPISODE! Nathan & Helen ramble down research paths, discuss the value of family history research logs, ponder on whether to pay or not to pay, and reflect on the ways to pass the family history baton on. Available wherever you get your podcasts https://rss.com/podcasts/familytreetalk/

Armchair Genealogy - Family Tree & History Explore genealogy with "The Genealogy Guy" on Armchair Genealogy, one of the latest genealogy podcasts produced in the UK. Tune in as expert genealogists and diverse practitioners share their knowledg...

Thank you to all those following me it means so much. Please could I ask you to share my free genealogy podcast on all your social platform networks to raise my listener numbers. This month is all about DNA 101 (the basics) with @donnasr.bsky.social armchairgenealogy.transistor.fm

Evidence-Based Genealogy Tracing the Final Years of Michael Haider

History, mystery, and some surprising twists. In my latest podcast, I explain how I used Reasonably Exhaustive Research to confirm the death date of my 2x great-grandfather Michael Haider. 🎙️

Tune in: open.substack.com/pub/kirsidah...

#Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Podcast