Our May monthly gathering is set to be a boozy affair – at least boozy with a touch of appreciation thrown in.

The Society is hosting Pint and a Pour, a beer and liquor tasting event at two adjacent breweries in Tempe. The event, on Saturday 18 May, starts at 2pm at Sleepy Dog Brewing at 1920 East University Drive, suite 104. After a tasting session there, the party will move next door to the Caskwerks Distilling Company to sample some top-quality liquor.

The Sleepy Dog Brewery specializes in craft beer and Society members can sample a flight of four beers or a favorite of their own. Craftwerk is known for its handcrafted spirits and we will be taken on a tour of the facility on the day.

Tickets cost $17.50 and must be purchased in advance - below. Complimentary snacks will be served in the brewery tap room, known as the ‘Dog House’. We are limited to 60 people, so the trip is first come first served.

And remember, if you drink, please don’t drive.

There are plenty transport options including light rail, Yellow Cab, Discount Cab, Uber and Lyft.

Or appoint a designated driver.

After our beer and liquor event on 18 May, what better way to clear our heads than an afternoon of Celtic music with our Welsh cousins the following day.

The CSA is joining with the Welsh League on May 19 for a show by the Peaks Celtic Ensemble who will perform music from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The event starts at 2.30 pm at Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ, 5524 East Lafayette Boulevard, Phoenix (west of 56th Street).

Admission will be by donations which will go towards providing bursaries for Arizona and Welsh exchange students.

President David McBee asked if I could provide an update as he’s working on several other Society initiatives.

With the planned departure of our Treasurer at the end of April, David is finalizing our financial reports. Even with several late invoices and check requests, it looks like the Phoenix Scottish Games was both an economic and attendance success. Thanks to Games Chieftain Paul Bell and his team for producing another terrific event.

When the 55th Annual Games came to a close, we began looking to replace several key positions that had been staffed by long-time Area Chairs who would like some time off.

• Athletic Director – Michelle Crownhart has grown our Games to one of the country’s premier highland athletics events, and now wants to pursue her own competition and judging opportunities. She has offered to assist a new A.D. to get started.
• Clans Chair – Mark Pelletier is stepping down after 12 years of running the Clans Area, and he too will assist his replacement with the 2020 planning process
• Pipe Band Chair – Alasdair Martin has accepted a job transfer to the east coast. Being an active or recently retired member of a Pipe & Drum band is a prerequisite.

The Society is also looking to fill the following positions:

• Treasurer – Vicki Munro Phegley advised the Board last fall that she would step down following this year’s Games. We’re actively looking for a volunteer that has accounting or book-keeping experience, and is familiar with ‘QuickBooks for Nonprofits’.
• Social Committee Chair(s) – the perfect job for two people to work as co-chairs on our regular Gatherings, and special events such as the Burns Supper, and Tartan Day

For all these open positions - please contact David McBee if you, or someone you know is interested: president@arizona.scot

We are delighted that so many newcomers joined the Caledonian Society during the Games weekend, and hope you may be interested in volunteering for these open positions (above).

Cheers!
Don

Scotland's Hidden Gems - Culross
Iain Lundy

The Fife village of Culross (pronounced Coo-Ross) sits on the north bank of the Firth of Forth and looks on the face of it to be nothing more than a jumble of badly painted, albeit very old, houses. But as with most places in Scotland, it pays to stop and take a closer look.

Far from being a disorderly collection of houses, the village has a distinctly quaint and historic feel to it. Add to that its connections to Scottish royalty, and Culross becomes a place well worth a visit. Then, once you get there, you’ll recognize it as one of the filming locations for Outlander.

Culross has been described as a ‘16th century time capsule – a village frozen in time’. It contains a royal palace dating to the late 16th century; the Town House, built in 1626; the remains of a Cistercian Abbey;  and old cobbled streets with an impressive Mercat Cross.

The 1597 palace is easily recognizable. When the National Trust for Scotland began to preserve and restore the old buildings in the 1930s, it decided to repaint the palace its original mustard color.

A walk around the narrow streets and lanes of Culross will give you an idea of what a 16th century Scottish village was like.

The old streets keep their original names – including Stinking Wynd.

There is ample parking at Culross and good views across the Firth of Forth. If you fancy a meal, there are several good quality cafes. And there is a very helpful Tourist Information Center.

Culross might be off the beaten track, and in a distinctly industrial part of the country. It has its own industrial heritage, salt-panning and coal mining. But it is well worth making a special trip, stepping back in time, and spending an hour or two soaking in the atmosphere of a unique Scottish community.

And if you are an Outlander fan, the palace and the old Mercat Cross might just be familiar.

Back to top 

Historic Records Repositories

by Robert M. Wilbanks IV, B.A.
Chief Genealogist & Historian, C.S.A.
genealogy@arizonascots.com

In this column I’ve discussed a variety of topics related to more successful genealogy research, whether it was general record types, specific records, research strategies, network, and much more. Where possible, I incorporated specific locations, repositories, where these records are or may be found. Here, I will explain in general terms, various types of facilities and repositories where research can, and most likely should, be conducted.

Research facilities, or records repositories, come in a very large variety of types depending on a wide array of factors, such as record types, government entities involved, jurisdictions, private organizations, and much more. Any and all of these have the potential to be a good genealogy resource.

First, lets remember that records themselves can come in two basic types. First, there are Private Records. Records relative to private enterprise, organizations, and various other non-governmental bodies. Second, there are Public Records. These are records almost entirely created by various government agencies, departments, etc. These two types of entities, naturally, will create not only their own kinds of records, but their own repositories for those records. So, knowing if a record is private or public can determine whether the repository, or research facility, will be private or public.

Meanwhile, the type of repositories, or research facilities, created can also be varied. Generally, there are three key types of repositories or research facilities. The first are Libraries. A facility most notable for primarily housing books, though maps, music, and other collections exist in libraries. The second are Records Offices. Facilities for holding, conserving, and organizing records, usually more current in nature. The third are Archives, a repository for the storage and organizing of more historic records; usually over 75 or 100 years old.

Public libraries are most understood for the city, county, or the state where they are located, and the governmental agency that maintains it. Examples would be the City of Phoenix, or Chicago, New York, etc., Pima County (Az) Library and even the Library of Congress, maintained by the United States Government. For most people, private libraries are lesser known or understood. Some examples would be the LDS Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City (with their Centers all around the world), the West Valley (Sun City, Az) Genealogical Society Library, or any locality Historical Society Library, or the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C.

Public Records Offices, again, are simpler to understand. Usually a government facility maintained by city, county, state, and even federal agencies, etc., such as the Arizona Department of Health, or the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs. Private Records Offices are lesser known, and even determining their existence could require research. Often these would be associated with churches, or fraternal organizations, business or financial enterprises, etc.
           
Lastly, Archives, yet again, can be understood with relation to government jurisdictions and agencies. While the National Archives or a State Archives are most common, there are potentially unique locality Archives, such as the Philadelphia City Archives or the Westchester County (NY) Archives.  As for Private Archives, examples would be the Coca-Cola Archives, the Railroad History Archives for New England, and the Archives of the American Baptist Historical Society in Atlanta. Most Colleges and Universities have their own Institutional Archives.

Be sure to attend the June Meeting of the Caledonian Society of Arizona at the Irish Cultural Center where I will give an in-depth presentation on records repositories, research facilities, how to find them, how to utilized them, and more, for Genealogy Research.

This is another of a series of articles in which I show you the basics of searching for your family history, discussing the use of family records, public records, and online resources nationally and internationally, etc. The previous articles are now available on the Genealogy Section of this website.   See “Genealogy” in the menu options at the top of the web page.

The Scotfest event which the Society helped stage at Chandler Library on April 6 (Tartan Day) proved highly popular, with a host of talks and sessions put on by CSA members.

Visitors were attracted to talks on whisky (not whiskey); the film locations for the Outlander series; and a history of the Scottish clans, as well as genealogy sessions and Highland Dancing displays.

Other participants included the Daughters of Scotia; SAMS (Scottish-American Military Society); Arizona Highland Dancing Association; and Fuil Celtic