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Today is the day that the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was officially established in 1850, when the village voted for the city charter. I'm here, 68 years later, for the National Genealogical Society's annual meeting, and the role of the Great Lakes area is certainly prominent. First, what a lovely river city! Second, what lovely weather (79 degrees)! Third, what wonderful events and talks there are. On my radar this week are sessions on the historic role of beer in the region, border crossings between Canada and the Great Lakes, and some skill-building workshops on indirect evidence, mapping ancestors' footsteps, and tracking African-American ancestors to northern industrial cities. You