I really love looking at and collecting postcards—especially vintage postcards. Here at Ancestral Findings, I’ve collected thousands and thousands of them over the years.

People have sent me postcards from their hometowns, old pictures of places that meant something to them, and scenes from all across the country—and it’s been exciting to receive each and every one of them.

So, I decided to set aside a little time to talk about some of these postcards and the stories they tell. I’m calling it Postcards from the Past.

It’s not going to be a continuous project—just something I’ll add to now and then whenever a postcard really catches my eye or sparks some curiosity.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together.

Thanks for joining me—now let’s get started...

Podcast notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/postcards-from-the-past-south-seas-plantation-on-captiva-island/

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The 1880 census is one of my favorite records—not just because of what it tells us, but because of what it helps us feel. This is the first census where we can see families take shape on paper. For the first time, we know how everyone in the household is related to each other. We can watch grandparents living with grown children, sons-in-law starting new farms, and widowed mothers moving in with their daughters. It’s where the people we’ve been tracing start to become real.

When I first found my great-great-grandfather in the 1880 census, I expected just the usual names and ages. But what I saw was a household that stretched across generations—a father who had survived the war, a mother who couldn’t read or write but raised a schoolteacher, and a younger sister I’d never heard of, who later married the farmer down the road. That one census page led me to three new counties, a pension file, and a whole branch of the family I didn’t know existed.

This worksheet is based on that kind of experience. It’s meant to help you look deeper—not just at names, but at stories. Use it to slow down, ask good questions, and notice things you might miss in a quick search...

Podcast notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/mastering-the-1880-census-for-family-historians/

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When people talk about the U.S. Census, most think of it as just a headcount. But by 1880, the census had become something far more powerful. It wasn’t just about population totals or determining how many representatives each state should send to Congress—although that was still its constitutional purpose. The 1880 census was the most detailed snapshot of American life ever taken up to that point. It didn’t just tell the government how many people were living in the country. It told them who those people were, what they did, their challenges, and where the country was headed.

For family historians, this census is a goldmine. It’s the first to name relationships to the head of household, which completely changes how we understand family structure. It also includes one of the earliest and most detailed efforts to record parents' medical conditions, occupations, and birthplaces—opening doors to trace ancestors back another generation.

But to truly appreciate the 1880 census, you must understand what made it different—and why it still matters.

Podcast notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/inside-the-1880-census/

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