Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

THE NATIONAL MALL INCLUDES PRESIDENTIAL MONUMENTS

 The National Mall in Washington, DC is a immense open park consisting of a number of smaller parks commingled between the Capitol Building and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials along the Potomac River. Among numerous other monuments and memorials, the National Mall includes the George Washington Monument, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. Also in the National Mall are the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial and the Korean War Veteran's Memorial.  A World War II and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial are in the planning stages and will be built in the next few years.

 For those readers interested in the creation, history and development of the National Mall, the National Park Service maintains an informative and interesting website called the National Mall. This website is located on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm.

 One of the national treasures on the National Mall is the White House, home of every President except George Washington.  Readers are able to take a virtual tour of the White House 24 hours a day by visiting the White House website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/text/ind ex.html.

BILLS IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE

 Currently there are two Bills pending in the Texas Legislature of immediate concern to Texas genealogists and historians . The first is HB 1030 and the second is HB 953.

 Authored by Representatives Isett, Glenn and Lewis, HB 1030 is a bill entitled an act relating to the identification and preservation of abandoned cemeteries. The bill directs the Texas Historical Commission to establish a program to identify and preserve abandoned cemeteries across the state. While the legislature may appropriate moneys for the program, it encourages the use of volunteers to the maximum extent possible similar to the Adopt-A-Beach Program conducted by the General Land Office.

 Authored by Representative Burnham HB 953 is a bill entitled an act relating to Confederate statues at the University of Texas at Austin. The bill proposes "to remove from public view all statues of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America; Robert E. Lee, General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States of America; John H. Reagan, Postmaster General of the Confederate States; and Albert Sidney Johnston, General of the Confederate States Army located on the campus of the university".

 To learn more about either bill go to the Texas Legislature website at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/billnbr.htm. In the Bill Number box insert the HB number you wish to research. On February 12 HB 1030 was in the hands of the State, Federal and International Relations Committee and HB 953 was in the hands of the State Affairs Committee. Concerned Texans should contact their state representative with their comments.

 SANDRA CLUNIES IN SAN MARCOS

 The San Marcos-Hays County Genealogical Society will host their Annual Workshop from 8:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. Saturday March 3. The featured speaker will be nationally known, Sandra MacLean Clunies. Her topics will include: Research in Washington, DC Without Leaving Home; Evaluating Web Resources; Federal Census Research for Experienced Researchers; and New England Research for the 21st Century.

 For more information and to register, contact the society at P.O. box 503, San Marcos, TX 78667-0503 or call Ella Smith at 512-754-8777.

HERITAGE SOCIETY WORKSHOP

 The Heritage Society of Sam Houston Park will host a genealogical workshop on Saturday February 24 from 9:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. The workshop will be held in the third floor meeting room of the Julia Ideson Library on McKinney Street in Downtown Houston. Speakers at the workshop will be Margaret J. Harris, Director of the Clayton Library, Center for Genealogical Research, Lynn Forney Young and Will Howard.

 Reservations should be requested prior to February 22 by calling Aaryn Degn of the Heritage Society at 713-655-1912.

GENEALOGICAL TALK AT CINCO RANCH

 The Cinco Ranch Branch Library in Katy will host Emily Croom with An Entertaining Look Into Genealogy on Thursday March 1 from 7 P.M. to 8 P.M..  Croom, a resident of Bellaire, is a nationally known genealogical instructor, lecturer and the author of Unpuzzling Your Past and other genealogical instructional titles. For more information about this talk contact Debbie Mosley at the Cinco Branch Library at 281-395-1311.

GENEALOGICAL CLASS

 Hosted by Houston Community College, 1681 Cartwright in Missouri City, Emily Croom will conduct a two session Finding Your Roots genealogical class. Both sessions will be held from 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. The first on Saturday March 3 and the second on March 10.

 For more information and to register, contact HCC at 281-835-5539.

NEWS FROM THE BOOKSHELF

 PERSI on CD-ROM is available for $99.95 (plus tax and shipping)  from Ancestry.Com's regional representative, Paula Perkins Parke. She may be reached at P.O. Box 842052 Houston, TX 77284-2052 or by calling 281-550-7935.