A Bit of History...

Early in 1985, Leland Meitzler asked his friend, Arlene Eakle, if she would be interested in helping researchers at a tour he wanted to sponsor at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. She responded in the affirmative, and a total of eight folks joined us on the 1985 Salt Lake Christmas Tour. That group included Donna Potter Phillips who has joined us every year since then - affectionately known as our "mother hen."

Why did we choose the month of December for the tour? Because the library never is as crowded during that time period. Besides that, the entire city is decorated just for you, and our attendees always love it. Some years we have snow (and lots of it) - in other years the temperature hasn't dropped below 55 and the sun was out the entire time. We always have the tour the first full week in December, starting the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. This is done so the Thanksgiving holiday is over and airline rates are back at a reasonable level. We don't attempt to do it any later in December, in that most of us have the Christmas holiday on our minds.

Leland and Patty Meitzler have hosted the tour for over 20 years, and the name has changed at times. However it's always been the Salt Lake Christmas Tour.

We're proud to announce a new partnership that started in 2006; The tour is now co-sponsored by our friends from Genealogy Today.

Over the years the tour has grown. As it grew, more researchers have come on board to make sure that attendees would always have the help they needed. Professionals with all kinds of genealogical specialties have combined their talents to make the Salt Lake Christmas Tour the finest genealogy tour available.

Sponsor a New Attendee

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour has a fantastic program whereby any person returning on the current tour can save money on the cost of the Tour. Returnees can sponsor friends or relatives and receive a credit for 10% of their current fee for each new person sponsored - up to the full cost of their tour fee (10 new people).

Make copies of the registration form, fill in your name, and hand them out to your friends, or drop off copies at your local historical society or library.

The sponsor must have attended a previous Salt Lake Christmas tour and the sponsored attendee must be new to the tour. In order to collect the 10%, the sponsor must attend the current tour at the same time as the new party. Checks are cut and distributed to the sponsors during the tour. New attendees may be sponsored by only one person. Sponsor bonuses will be paid only if the sponsor's name appears in the REFERRAL blank on the sponsored person's form.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

The Family History Library

The Family History Library is easy to use

First, it should be noted that you may bring in your "stuff." Take your laptop, briefcase full of family group sheets, your maps, ancestor charts, notebooks, and anything else you might need while working in the library. Sure, you may be asked to open your briefcase on the way out - but chances are you won't. The Library has a fantastic security system protecting the valuable books and films held there. Thieves can't get out the door with them - so this means you can bring your stuff in and out without much bother.

Not only is the Library user friendly, but the resources are arranged in a logical order, making the locating of books, films, maps and so forth pretty easy to do.

The Library underwent extensive remodeling and expansion a couple years ago. If you haven't used the library lately, you'll find it vastly changed and improved. December is traditionally a slow month at the Library. This means that access to photocopiers, computers, film printers and digitizers is easier than ever. The copy centers on each floor have been opened up, allowing more room and easier access.

For more information about the Family History Library visit the FHL website.

Hours

The Family History Library is open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (5:00 pm on Mondays) everyday except Sunday.

Laptop Computers

Laptops are welcomed in the library and many patrons use them at the work-tables as well as alongside their microfilm readers. Even though the library is a safe environment you should always attach a security device to your laptop. There have been reports of theft at the Library. Chances of items like personal genealogy notebooks being stolen are extremely low, but not for high-tech equipment. . Bring a short network cable with you if you wish to hook into the Library network.

Photocopies

There are photocopiers throughout the library for patron use. A nominal fee is charged for each copy. Patrons use pre-paid shopping cards to pay for their photocopies. When the card runs low you can recharge it at any of a number of kiosks in the library. You don't need to worry about bringing a roll of dimes with you.

Digitizers

There is a microfilm digitizer on each floor of the library. The digitized images are burned onto a CD-ROM. The Library has blank CDs for sale. Each session on the digitizer is limited to the 30-minutes. Library staff can show you how to use the digitizers.

Meet the Tour Staff

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour has been highly successful for over two decades because we have the highest ratio of professional researchers to attendees of any research tour using the Family History Library. You've always got the help you need to overcome your difficult research problems!

Tour Host: Leland Meitzler

Mother Hen: Donna Potter Phillips

Researchers: Arlene Eakle, Linda Brinkerhoff, Loni Gardner, Kevan Hansen, Wade Hone, George Ott, Joy Price, Dwight Radford, Afton Reintjes, and Trudy Schenk.

Photographer: Bill Balter

Breakfast Coordinator: Dee Cattaneo

Professional genealogists will help you every step of the way

Most of our professional researchers can be found in the library - helping in the area of the library which matches their expertise - from about 9 am to 5:30 or so. We also have a couple pros that work the evening shift. So if you need assistance between 5 and 9, someone is there to help.

Attendees sign up for half hour blocks of time with the professionals. There are enough pros that most attendees can work with someone whenever they need assistance. I've found that from mid-week on or so, it's often possible for attendees to get professional assistance without having to sign up ahead of time.

Can't read the language? No problem - chances are, one of our professionals can. Are you stuck on a line and don't know what to do or where to turn next? Our pros can help you get that line moving again.

There's never any reason on a Salt Lake Christmas Tour for any attendee to be sitting around stuck on a project. There's always someone waiting to help out.

Our professionals use the library on a regular basis

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour only uses the best professional researchers to work with our attendees. Our professionals are intimately acquainted with the library and its holdings. These researchers work in the library nearly every day and know where to locate materials at an instant's notice.

Compare this with other popular tours to Salt Lake, using well-known genealogists as their "helpers" - genealogists that only use the collection once or twice a year. Who do you think can help you find your ancestors better? Someone that uses the library every day - or someone who comes to Salt Lake once or twice a year?

Another plus for the Salt Lake Christmas Tour is that if one professional can't seem to help you find your ancestor, there are nearly a dozen others that might be able to. Great minds don't always think alike. Take advantage of all our great professionals

Dee Cattaneo - Tour Staff

Caterer to the Genealogists

Dee Cattaneo is in charge of our delightful breakfast hour that we enjoy each morning. Dee is a professional genealogists often found working on client projects in the Family History Library. Dee and her husband, Dick, make our tour shirts for us each year. They also screen and market a variety of genealogy-shirts for infants, children and adults.

Bill Balter - Tour Staff

Photographer Extraodinaire

Bill is not a professional genealogist, and considers himself to be a family researcher only. He began attending the Christmas Tour in 1992 fully expecting to find nothing he didn't already know. To his amazement and with the help of an attendee, he discovered a new branch of the family! Because of the friendliness of the staff and attendees on the Tour, he came back as an attendee in 1994, 1996 and from 2000 on, to assist more than do research.

Bill's areas of interest are digital photography & family photos. He currently has over 3,600 family photos from 1906 to the present scanned and cataloged in his laptop. He began teaching classes on scanning in 2001. Since then he has taught classes on scanning, passenger list research and conducted an evening tour taking photos of the Christmas lights in Temple Square. Bill brings his digital camera, scanner and laptop to Salt Lake City and encourages anyone who may be interested in scanning to bring some challenging photos to see how they can be converted to graphics. During the week you will see him at the Library taking photos that he turns into a CD of the Tour highlights.

Bill will be at the airport, on the fly-in Sunday, greeting attendees.

Trudy Schenk - Tour Staff

Specializes in Germanic research problems and translation

Trudy Schenk is the leading author and research scholar on Germanic immigration to the U.S. Deciphering the old German handwriting is her specialty as well as finding places of origin in Germany. She was born and educated in Germany and immigrated to America in 1958. Trudy became an Accredited Genealogist (German language specialty) with the Family History Library in 1978. She is the co-author of the Wuerttemberg Emigration Index. She has expanded her emigration research to include Saxony-Meiningen, Baden, and other areas of Germany with 35,000 names on a database at home. Trudy has spoken at many Germanic genealogical seminars and conferences throughout the United States.

Afton Reintjes - Tour Staff

Specializes in Southern U.S. research

Afton is the Seminar Director for The Genealogical Institute. She has been with theinstitute for more than ten years. Afton worked as a professional genealogist and has done research for over 25 years. She is also a research consultant, taking clients through the research steps at the Family History Library. She is the author of several books including Tennessee Research, Scotch-Irish Sources of Research, and How to Research a "Little Bit of Indian."

Dwight Radford - Tour Staff

Specializes in Ireland, Scotch-Irish and American research

Dwight Radford is a native of Ooltewah, Tennessee. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he has been doing genealogy professionally since 1986. Dwight specializes in Irish and Irish immigrant research and travels to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland yearly to conduct on-site research, as well as to locate ancestral home sites for his clients. Dwight was co-editor of the journal, The Irish At Home & Abroad (1993-1999), and he co-authored A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors (Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2001).

Joy Price - Tour Staff

Specializes in American research

Joy has been fascinated with family history since childhood. She began enrolling in genealogy classes in 1965 and has been an instructor since 1985. Joy became a professional researcher in 1989. Joy is the owner of Joys of Family Research. She is the past-president and founder of the Snake River Family History Connection, Chapter of UGA. She is a board member of the Utah Genealogical Association, Executive Secretary of ICAPGen (Accredited Genealogists), as well as consultant and instructor for Salt Lake Christmas Tours. Joy has an extensive research background and has published several family history books. She is accredited in Eastern states research.

George Ott - Tour Staff

Specializes in United States (especially mid-Atlantic States) and Italian research

George has been part of the professional genealogy scene in Salt Lake City for twenty five years. He started as a researcher for Genealogy Services, Inc. in May of 1975 and was the Director of Genealogical Research Foundation from 1977 to 1979. George was on the founding board of the Association of Professional Genealogists in 1979. During the 1980s, George was Director of Research for the Dickerson-Winn Foundation. During the past twelve years, he has lectured on various topics in Pasadena, San Francisco, Spokane and Tacoma and at various functions for the Utah Genealogical Association. In June of 1998, he completed a very successful research trip to Italy. George has a B.S. from Colorado State University.

Wade Hone - Tour Staff

Specializes in Hungary, Slovenia, Northern Croatia, Scandinavia and American research

E. Wade Hone is a research specialist at ProGenealogists in Salt Lake City. He is devoted to European and foreign language research, and the promotion of European history, geography, and cultural tolerance among high school and college students, in addition to other academic objectives. He recently concluded a thirteen-year tenure as senior partner of Heritage Consulting and Services in Salt Lake City, and has been professionally involved in history and genealogy since 1984. His educational background is in world history and linguistics. He is a national speaker and the author of Land and Property Research in the United States and has also produced numerous multimedia presentations on a variety of genealogical subjects. He lives in the Salt Lake valley and spends portions of most years in the former Austro-Hungary regions doing research, inventory and preservation work to compliment that which can be done from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Kevan Hansen - Tour Staff

Specializes in Germanic Research

Kevan is the author of 10 volumes of the Map Guide to German Parish Registers. He has been addicted to family history research since he was a teenager. After attending college for several years with an emphasis on being an accountant, he decided he would die young from boredom if he pursued his studies and instead began genealogical research full time. Kevan specializes in German research and lived in Germany for a few years. He has worked in many different aspects of genealogy, including tracing ancestry for genetics for the University of Utah, and has written several articles for Ancestry magazine. He is a former president of the Salt Lake Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is the author of Ancestry's Finding Your German Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide.

Loni Gardner - Tour Staff

Specializes in American Research

Loni Gardner is a professional genealogist who knows there's more to genealogy than names, dates and places. She enjoys creating fun ways to share family information through games, puzzles, etc. She is a co-founder of Medical Pedigree Research Services which traces ascending and descending pedigrees for medical research and owner of Gardner Genealogical Services. Loni has compiled the Census Birth Year Chart, mindmaps and other forms to help with organization and research.

Linda Brinkerhoff - Tour Staff

Specializes in American research and assists Arlene Eakle

Linda has been personally trained by her mother, Dr. Arlene Eakle, and has worked side by side with her for over ten years. Linda is a professional researcher, consultant, lecturer, and the Publications Director at The Genealogical Institute. Linda is Associate Editor of Family Records Today for AFRA. She is a consultant for tour groups at the Family History Library. She is the author of Vital Records Computer Databases and co-author of Family History for Fun and Profit: the Research Process. She is co-editor of several books including Researching Your Roots in New York (4 vols.), Native American Ancestors, and Huguenot Research Sources. She is currently working towards certification. Linda has traveled extensively doing on-site research in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, California, and Pennsylvania for The Genealogical Institute's clients and has addressed over 75 seminars.

Arlene Eakle, Ph.D. - Tour Staff

Specializes in Great Britain and American research

Dr. Eakle was a co-editor of the 1^st edition of The Source, is president and founder of The Genealogical Institute and Family World. She is a professional genealogist with over 35 years of experience, including on-site research at many state archives as well as university and college libraries, county courthouses and public libraries. Arlene has done research in England, Germany, and Canada. She has a 96% success rate. Dr. Eakle shares research tips and shortcuts with clients through consultations. She has addressed more than 300 workshops and seminars in the U.S., Canada and Europe helping seminar attendees solve their genealogical problems. She is author of more than 90 books and newsletters.

Donna Potter Phillips - Tour Staff

The "Mother Hen" of the Tour during your stay in Salt Lake City

Donna makes sure that tour attendees have a successful week. She answers questions and knows just where to point folks that need help. You may also see her in the Library trying to work on her family "lines" when she gets some free time. She teaches genealogy classes for Eastern Washington Genealogical Society and the local community college. She wrote a heritage hunting column for the Spokane newspaper for many years, and writes columns and articles for The Genealogical Helper as well as Family Chronicle. Donna is an active member of EWGS, and has membership in many other genealogical organizations. She has assisted in leading the Salt Lake Christmas Tour since 1986.

Leland Meitzler - Your Tour Host

Tour Director and Managing Editor of The Genealogical Helper

With a nearly lifelong interest in genealogy, Leland graduated from the National Institute on Genealogical Research in 1982 and began publishing local histories soon thereafter. Upon graduation, he received the Social Sciences Division Award from GRCC in Auburn, WA in 1984. Leland and his brother, Steve founded Heritage Quest in 1985. He has given over 2,000 lectures on genealogical subjects to national, state and local genealogical groups. Leland was the Co-chairman of Exhibits for the Portland National Genealogical Society Conference. In 1997 he was given an Angel Award for his contributions to the annual Gen Tech Seminars. He also received the Presidential citation Award from the Utah Genealogical Association in 2006. After failing to turn Heritage Quest Magazine finances around in 2006, Leland shut down the magazine and joined Everton Publishers as the Managing Editor of The Genealogical Helper. Leland and his wife Patty have conducted Salt Lake City genealogy research tours since 1985.

Salt Lake Plaza Hotel

The Tour Hotel

The Salt Lake Plaza Hotel is the official hotel of the Salt Lake Christmas Tour. The price of the tour includes your one-week accommodations at the hotel. For more information about the hotel and its amenities visit the Plaza Hotel website. All reservations for the Plaza Hotel must be made through the Salt Lake Christmas Tour in order to receive the special rate.

Stay next door and immerse yourself in your genealogy

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour uses the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel as our tour headquarters. We sleep, eat breakfast, attend classes and have all our "functions" in the hotel. The hotel is just across the alley from the library, so even if it's snowing (which it does occasionally), you can walk to and from the library without spending a lot of time in the cold.

Since we stay so close to the Family History Library, it's very easy to go back and forth between the buildings. As for research time in the library, if you wish, you can get up to 72 hours of time in the library while you're on the tour. The Library hours are from 8 am to 5 pm on Monday, but from Tuesday through Saturday, they run from 8 am to 9 pm.

Extra Days

You can add on extra days to your stay, either before or after the Tour at the special Tour rate.

Parking

If you come to Salt Lake by car, you may park in the parking terrace adjacent to the hotel. The Salt Lake Christmas Tour has negotiated a special parking rate of $5 per day for our attendees who have their vehicles with them. You will need to get a parking pass at the front desk.

Preparing For Your Trip

Do Your Homework

Do as much homework prior to the trip as possible. Start out by checking out the Family History Library guide for researchers: PREPARING TO VISIT THE LIBRARY. Bring all the research data that you may need to get off to a good start. You'll find that after a few days of searching one line, it's often nice to go for a change of pace and search something entirely different, so bring data on more than just one family line.

Weather and Clothes

We can't predict the weather, but December in Salt Lake City is usually cold and snowy, so bring warm clothes. Overshoes and a coat or winter jacket are a good idea as is a pair of gloves or mittens. An umbrella might also come in handy. Layer your clothes so that you'll be comfortable once you are inside the Library or hotel.

Breakfast

From 6:45 to 7:45 each morning we have a group breakfast in the lower lobby of the hotel. This is the one time of the day that most of us are all together in one room. The food and drink is set up buffet style, allowing attendees to pick up whatever they choose. Tables are set up all around the room where folks gather to eat, discuss their research and get to know each other

Dee Cattaneo serves the breakfast, getting up very early and bringing in fresh food every morning. The food varies from day to day, but there's always plenty of fruit, toast, bagels, sweet rolls and such. Dee adds variety by bringing in cereal and specialty items some mornings. We always have plenty of coffee and a variety of juices. We must be doing the breakfasts right, because very few attendees miss this meal with us!

Donna Potter Phillips assists Dee at the breakfast and always makes each one of us feel welcome.

Lunch & Dinner

There are dozens of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. Everything from fast food to fine dining is available. The LDS Church Office Building, two blocks from Library, also offers a good lunch that is reasonably priced. Lunch at the office building is served from 11:30 to 1:30. You will need a pass to enter the building. You will be given a pass as part of your tour packet. The Library has a snack room with vending machines.

Monday Evening Dinner: Just after the library closes at 5 p.m., we will gather for our annual Christmas Tour dinner. Served buffet style, there's always plenty to eat. It's not a formal event, so you can leave the tux or gown at home.

Classes

Classes are held throughout the day Monday through Thursday. The classes start at 8:00 am; the last class begins at 7:00 pm. Classes are held at the Plaza Hotel, room assignments will be posted. You do not need to register for classes.

Temple Square

Go to Visit Temple Square for information about the tourists sites and events in and around Temple Square. Move your mouse around the picture to find links.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The Choir practices on Thursday evening in the Tabernacle less than a block from your hotel. Many attendees enjoy listening to them prepare for the Sunday Morning broadcast. Schedule your flight out of Salt Lake City for afternoon and attend the concert and broadcast in the Tabernacle on Sunday morning.

Carriages for Hire

Horsedrawn carriage tours are available and leave from right in front of the hotel. They also pick up at restaurants, hotels and at Temple Square in the downtown area.

Special Events

The Salt Lake Visitors Bureau website has information about events taking place in December.

Medical Emergencies

We all need a little expert medical care at times. If you have a medical crisis while on the tour, don't be alarmed. Several of the world's finest hospitals are just blocks away, with several insta-care and after-hours clinics also available. If you're not feeling well, let the tour directors know and we'll make sure that you're taken care of. In our 20 years of doing tours, we've had attendees who dealt with everything from heart attacks to pneumonia and we haven't lost anyone.

Getting to Salt Lake City

Flying in to Salt Lake City

Airfare is not included in the price of the Tour.

Delta Airlines has a hub in Salt Lake City and so may be the best airline for your trip. However, we recommend you make travel arrangements through your travel agent, or using online services, such as Priceline, Hotwire, or Expedia.

We Will Meet You at the Airport

Most of the attendees fly into Salt Lake City International Airport on Sunday, and we will attempt to meet everybody that's coming in that day. We will make sure you have your luggage and get on the next available shuttle. The Plaza will run extra shuttles, coming by about every 30 minutes or so. There is no fee for the shuttle to the hotel, which is just a short ride from the airport. Bill Balter, Leland, Patty or Dale Meitzler will greet you at the airport. We will be at the airport from about 9 am to 6 pm. If you happen to come in earlier or later, just use the courtesy phone found in the baggage claim area to call the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel. The front desk will send the shuttle.

Shuttle Service

The shuttle will take you to the Plaza Hotel free of charge.

Amtrak

Amtrak's daily 'California Zephyr' offers one of the world's most scenic rail trips between Salt Lake and Denver with service to Chicago or Reno-San Francisco. The Amtrak station is some distance away, you will need to take a taxi to the hotel. If coming from the West, you'll arrive about 3:15 am. If coming from the East, you'll get in about 11:33 pm. Because of the late arrival we recommend you arrive a day early (either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning).

Greyhound Bus

The Greyhound bus station has moved and is just over a mile from the hotel at 300 South and 600 West.

Hospitality

At the hotel you will be greeted by Donna Potter Phillips, supplied with your tour packet (badges,etc.) and checked into your room. We keep a hospitality area open all day on Sunday, serving punch, popcorn, cookies and other snacks.

Benefits of Attending the Salt Lake Tour

Following are just a few great reasons for joining the Salt Lake Christmas Tour!

The variety of records to research in the Family History Library is astounding.

There are so many different record types available that I could never list them all. However, there are Probates, Vital Records, Parish Registers, Deeds, Federal and State Censuses and a thousand other kinds of records all just a few feet from where you can sit in the Family History Library.

Records from all over the world are available to search - old records - and new. Records are added to the collection on a daily basis. Records unattainable six months ago may be on the shelf and waiting for you today! Not only are millions of films available, but thousands of books - books that are non-circulating and can only be used within the library - all available for your research.

When you find your family in one record type in the library, you can quickly move on to other records, locating them all within a matter of minutes.

Professional genealogists will help you every step of the way

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour is known for having the best professionals in the business. These folks work right alongside the attendees - helping them with the rough spots in their research. We're proud of the fact that the Salt Lake Christmas Tour has more professionals per attendee than any other tour to Salt Lake City.

Stay next door and immerse yourself in your genealogy

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour uses the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel as our tour headquarters. We sleep, eat breakfast, attend classes and have all our "functions" in the hotel. The hotel is just across the alley from the library, so even if it's snowing (which it does occasionally), you can walk to and from the library without spending a lot of time in the cold.

Since we stay so close to the Family History Library, it's very easy to go back and forth between the buildings. As for research time in the library, if you wish, you can get up to 72 hours of time in the library while you're on the tour. The Library hours are from 8 am to 5 pm on Monday, but from Tuesday through Saturday, they run from 8 am to 9 pm.

Genealogy Education

The Salt Lake Christmas Tour is known for the wealth of genealogy classes taught during the week. Classes actually start on Sunday evening and run all week long. This year, a total of 26 classes are planned - with more to be added. At times, two tracks may be running simultaneously. However, when this is done, one track is typically for beginners, while the other is for advanced researchers.

Classes this year will be taught by Joy Price, George Ott, Loni Gardner, Kevan Hansen, William Dollarhide, Arlene Eakle, Leland Meitzler, Dwight Radford, and Bill Balter. Illya D'Addezio, the founder of Genealogy Today, is also flying out and will speak to the group.

The Camaraderie of the Group is Part of the Fun

Attendees at the Salt Lake Genealogy Christmas Tour come not only to do research in the Family History Library, but many come back year after year to enjoy the fun times with folks that have become their friends. Each morning, everyone gathers around large tables for breakfast, discussing their research problems as well as their successes. On Saturday night, everyone will gather together for a farewell Pie & ice cream social.

Your Non-Genealogist Spouse Will Love It!

While you research at the Family History Library - enjoying the Salt Lake Christmas Tour, your non-genealogist spouse may come along and enjoy the local attractions.

Many folks come on the tour with husbands or wives that aren't really into genealogy. Salt Lake City is a great area for activities other than family history. World-class ski resorts are just an hour away. Utah Skiing is addictive. Your spouse will want to come back for more!

Finally - You may find more ancestors than ever before!

By joining us in Salt Lake City on a Salt Lake Christmas Tour, you will be in the right place - at the right time - to locate more ancestors than may have ever found before.