Footnote Press Room

Today, Footnote.com announced the addition of the 1860 US Census to their Civil War Collection. This project was a joint effort with FamilySearch, who provided the images to the 1860 Census.  From those images, Footnote created a index enabling visitors to simply type in a name and search the millions of names contained in this collection.

As the largest online collection of original Civil War documents, this new addition to Footnote.com provides a snapshot of America before the bloodiest war in its history. The 1860 US Census reveals many details about individuals at that time. What was their occupation? Where were they born? What was their marital status? Did they attend school? Could they read or write? Was your ancestor insane, idiotic, or a convict? The 1860 US Census will let you know.

“Is the 1860 US Census already on the internet? Yes,” says Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “But what makes the census different on Footnote is that these documents become interactive.”

Footnote.com has developed tools that enable visitors not only to find someone in the census, but also to enrich the records by adding photos, linking related documents, and contributing insights to any name on the record. “Now they’re not merely names on a document,” explains Russ Wilding. “They become people as the contributions start to tell a story about that person.”

This past March, Footnote.com released a similar project using the same technology with an interactive version of the Vietnam War Memorial. For each name on the Wall, a visitor can view military service information, attached photos and comments. The success of the project is overwhelming as priceless contributions are added to the Wall. Footnote expects similar results with the launch of the 1860 US Census.

At Footnote.com, it’s more than just looking at a historical document. History becomes a living subject on Footnote.com as documents from archives come together for the first time on the Internet. Visitors to Footnote.com can add their own contributions and upload their own shoeboxes of information. Letters, documents, and photos from the past create a view of history that few have seen before.

Every month, two million new documents are added to the site and over a million people visit the site. Footnote promises to continue to deliver new discoveries for those whose interests range from the serious historian to the casual visitor looking for something entertaining.

Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration held a press conference at the Archives in Washington DC to announce the release of an online interactive photo of the Vietnam War Memorial.

In addition to releasing this unique version of the Wall, Footnote.com enables visitors to search the Wall for people they know and pay tribute by adding photos, comments and stories of those who lost their lives during the Vietnam conflict.

“The Wall is more than just 58,000 plus names,” explains Richard Schroepfer, a Vietnam War Veteran. “Many of these people were my friends. And now Footnote.com helps me create a remembrance of these fine gentlemen.”

Footnote.com started the project by contracting the expertise of Peter Krogh, a National Geographic photographer, who was given the challenge to photograph the entire wall. Creating this online version of the Wall required almost 1,500 individual photos that were stitched together to create one single image.

The process took over five months and resulted in an image that is nearly five gigapixels in size. Despite the immense size, just about anyone can view the image on Footnote.com via an Internet connection.

Footnote.com partnered with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to link the service records and casualty reports to each name on the Wall. “The records of the Vietnam War in the National Archives are essential resources for veterans to revisit their history and establish their rights,” explains Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein. “These extensive files are mined by scholars every day as they continue to interpret and understand this pivotal period in American history.”

Footnote.com will also be digitizing National Archives photos from the Vietnam War. Finding someone on the Wall is as simple as typing a name into a search box and letting Footnote.com quickly locate and zoom into the area of the Wall where the individual name can be viewed. Once the name is located, visitors can see the soldier’s service record and view comments, stories and photos that have been contributed by other visitors.

“Footnote.com is about discovering, discussing, and sharing the stories of our past,” says Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “We know that there are many untold experiences represented on that Wall, and we hope that this interactive version of the memorial helps those affected by the war by sharing their stories.”

Footnote.com also provides a way for visitors to create a tribute page dedicated to the brave men and women who served in Vietnam, who may not be on the Wall. These pages become a way for veterans, family and friends to share experiences and feelings about this event that has had a great impact on so many.

Footnote.com hopes that this interactive Wall becomes a means for healing and paying tribute to those whose sacrifice and service have been underappreciated for so long.

Footnote.com announced today a new partnership with SmallTownPapers, Inc. that will add millions of pages of historical newspapers to the site. With over 28 million images of original documents already on Footnote.com, the historical newspapers will prove to be a valuable addition, providing a unique view of our nation’s history.

After using Footnote.com, SmallTownPapers President Paul Jeffko quickly realized the two companies had a natural synergy. "Our unique and exclusive small-town newspaper content is a boon for any researcher, and with Footnote.com providing high quality viewing, printing, and downloading, visitors are going to discover a new dimension and relevance to online history and genealogy research."

Unlike many of the major newspapers, small town newspapers give a glimpse into what day-to-day life was like for many Americans during that time. Visitors can browse articles of local news content, historic photos, and birth, marriage, and obituary announcements.

The image viewer on Footnote.com enables visitors to see images of the newspapers exactly as they were printed, dating back to the mid-19th century. “These newspapers can be found in other places, but what makes Footnote.com so different is the social networking component we offer,” explains Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “Social networking isn’t just for young people on MySpace or Facebook anymore. People of all ages with different interests, including history, are now interacting with each other on the internet. Footnote.com has created an engaging and fun experience with content like historical newspapers, that enables people to discuss their discoveries with others.”

Visit www.footnote.com/smalltownpapers to access free samples of these newspapers and to see what Footnote members have contributed.

Footnote.com today announced free access to select databases during February in celebration of Black History Month. These databases include original historical records from the Amistad case, the program for the 1963 March on Washington and the Southern Claims Commission records from the Civil War.

“The Southern Claims Commission records document the experiences of former slaves during the Civil War and in the days immediately after,” says Toni Carrier, Founding Director of the USF Africana Heritage Project. “They often contain information that cannot be found anywhere else. Family historians should plan to spend some quality time with this collection.”

The majority of the records on Footnote.com come from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Since partnering with NARA a year ago, Footnote.com has been working aggressively to digitize and make these original source documents available online.

To date, Footnote.com has digitized over 26 million images. Each month, approximately 2 million new records are uploaded to the site. "Our partnership with Footnote has brought millions of our documents to far more researchers than ever before possible,” says James Hastings, Director of Access Programs at NARA. “Now researchers can come to any or our research rooms across the country and use the online indexes and records free of charge. And for a small fee they can have access to this rich historical collection in their own homes. We look forward to many years of working together to help Americans understand their history."

In addition to the records Footnote.com uploads to its site every month, members of the site are also making contributions by adding records from their files at home and creating their own web pages dedicated to topics that interest them. Member pages pertaining to African American history include topics such as slavery, African American war heroes and Civil Rights.

“We love to see people get involved and take an active interest in history,” said Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “There are so many historical treasures contained in shoeboxes that have been tucked away and forgotten in closets and attics. We encourage everyone to upload their shoeboxes of letters, documents and photos to Footnote.com to preserve and share their own histories.”

Footnote.com is the place where history comes alive. The site has something for everyone from avid researchers to those with a casual interest in the stories of our past. Visit Footnote.com today and see the future of history.

- Evidence Explained can now be obtained on Footnote.com

Lindon, Utah – August 15, 2007 –Today, Footnote.com announced a partnership with Elizabeth Shown Mills to distribute her new book, Evidence Explained. This definitive guide to citation and analysis of historical resources features over 1,000 citation models and is now available in digital format on Footnote.com.

"The world of research is changing in exciting new ways" says Roger Bell, President of Footnote.com, "Evidence Explained is a great tool to help academics, students and genealogists use these new resources."

Mills was the long-term editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and has delivered over 500 lectures globally, appeared on radio and TV talk shows on three continents, and was featured on the BBC's (British Broadcasting Corporation) 20th anniversary special on the novel Roots and the PBS-KBYU series Ancestors: Second Season. A recipient of the NGS President's Citation and the APG Graham T. Smallwood Jr. Award, Mills has been cited by her peers as "the genealogist who has had the greatest impact on American genealogy in the post-Roots era."

Historical and genealogical research has come a long way since the days of using encyclopedias and card catalogs. The digital age has added valuable resources including websites like Footnote.com, digital books, podcasts and more. Genealogical research can be challenging and Evidence Explained will help provide a better understanding of how to properly use these new resources.

For more information on Evidence Explained, visit www.footnote.com/evidenceexplained.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote.com is a subscription-based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit http://www.footnote.com.

Today, Footnote.com announced that they have digitized the entire Project Bluebook, a collection of official records covering the United States Government's investigation of UFO phenomenon from 1947–1969. From Alaska to Florida, Project Bluebook features fascinating accounts of UFO sightings from every state. Now for the first time, the entire collection of case files is available on the internet at Footnote.com for free.

This collection provides a rarely seen view into a subject that has captured the attention and imagination of millions over the decades. Project Bluebook also allows users to determine for themselves if the UFO phenomenon is all a conspiracy theory, hallucinations or solid evidence supporting the fact that we are not alone in the universe.

"The collections on our site illustrate how Footnote.com is changing the way people access and interact with history," said Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. "Through our social networking tools people from around the world can come together to discuss their findings and provide their own unique insights through annotations and creating their own web pages."

There is more evidence to consider, including accounts from around the country such as, "Definitely not a weather balloon," and "The university students were allegedly taken to the third moon of Jupiter in a saucer manned by good-looking seven-foot-tall giants." Who knows what new secrets will be exposed? Click here to learn more about Project Bluebook on Footnote.

In addition to free access to Project Blue Book records, Footnote.com offers a seven-day free trial to all of the original records that have been digitized and indexed from some of the largest archives in the United States, including the National Archives. Click here to learn how to start your free trial to Footnote.com today.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription-based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

--Original Records Include Rarely Seen Hand Written Letters From George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Other Founding Fathers--

Lindon, Utah – June 28, 2007 – Today Footnote.com announced the official launch of the company and its Web 2.0 historical social networking site.

As part of the launch, Footnote.com is making a significant portion of their millions of original Revolutionary War documents available for free from today until the end of July. Included in these records are secret journals, intercepted letters from the British military and letters written by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other founding fathers. Click here to see samples of these Revolutionary War documents.

With the ability to view these original records on the web, people are now discovering a new side of history few have seen before. For example, the 4th of July has always been considered as the day we celebrate our nation's independence. However, in a letter to his wife, John Adams wrote that July 2nd would be "the most memorable epoch in the history of America... it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival."

"Many people may know the high level details of American history, however, information about specific events and the heroic individuals involved are often overlooked " said Roger Bell, President of Footnote.com. "Documents included in our Revolutionary War collection provide valuable insights about our nation's history that appeal to professional historians while making history fun for anyone with even a casual interest"

In addition to providing historical records, Footnote.com provides tools such as Story Pages and Spotlights that let users upload and share their own insights and discoveries. The future of history is on Footnote.com. To view these records please visit the Footnote.com web site www.footnote.com.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

Business News Wire

Lindon-based company releases images of the original records

By Kaye Nelson
Deseret Morning News

LINDON — Saturday marked the 142nd anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and now anyone can access digitized images of documents relating to his death.

"These are public documents all on microfilm or paper where you had to go to Washington, D.C., to request to see them," said Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. "Now we are digitizing them. They are all online and can be used as an education system as well as for hard-core researchers and hobbyists."

The company was formed in 1994 and in 2000 transitioned to digitizing microfilm, said Wilding. A year ago it started focusing on creating a repository of historical content.

Some points on the site require a fee, but free information is available as well. If you see an image you want, you pay $1.99 for it. Another option is to pay a monthly $9.99 fee or an annual $99 fee, both providing unlimited access.

"We want to be the world's shoebox," Wilding said. "We also have a free area where people can go in and upload their own content for others to see." Unlike Wikipedia, other site visitors will not be able to change the information, but they will be able to make comments on what is listed there.

All of the documents come from the National Archives in Washington, D.C., which holds a daunting 9 billion documents. So far, Footnote.com has 7 million of those documents online, with an estimated 50 million by the end of the year. They are scanning in 2 million images a month.

"The National Archives is only one place we'll pull records from," Wilding said. "We'll also access state archives and others domestically and internationally."

Justin Schroepfer, director of marketing, said the initial response to the site has been good. The company did a soft launch in January but realized that with anniversaries such as Lincoln's assassination, they could get more people interested in what they have to offer.

"Now that we've launched the site, we're going to do releases with content," Schroepfer said. "The Lincoln assassination is something people are familiar with." He said the company will tie in other events such as the Emancipation Proclamation or presidents' birthdays in the future.

Although there are many genealogy sites online, there isn't anything like this where valuable, historical documents are readily available. And other companies were vying for what Footnote.com now has rights to.

Google was considered in the mix to provide this service, said Schroepfer. But Footnote.com had this service as its main focus and it is excited to partner with the National Archives to provide the service.

"It took time to dot the i's and cross the t's," Schroepfer said. "We have a lot of bottled energy at this place. We just want to get the word out and tell people what we're trying to do."

E-mail: knelson@desnews.com

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C660211985%2C00.html

By Paul Foy - Associated Press

A Utah company has launched a Web site to display historical documents - including some from the American Revolution and well before - in a partnership with the U.S. National Archives.

iArchives Inc. was already making digital images of documents for businesses, universities and other organizations when it decided to put those skills to use on a subscriber Web site that would showcase the nation's trove of historical documents.

While copies of famous documents like the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence have been circulating for more than 200 years, footnote.com gives subscribers a chance to see more rare pieces of history.

Among the Web site's current collection are investigative and trial documents from the assassination of President Lincoln as well Indian treaties from the 1720s.

Footnote.com allows people to post their own historical documents and work with collaborators.

"We allow people to tag and index their own documents and share it," said Russell Wilding, the 50-year-old chief executive of iArchives. "We want to be America's shoe box."

The Web site was launched Jan. 10 and is adding documents daily. Starting with the most significant ones from the National Archives, it already has amassed some 7 million pages of documents.

Footnote.com is the only Web site wholly devoted to making digital images of American historical documents, said Susan Cooper, a spokeswoman for the U.S. National Archives.

The National Archives holds 9 billion pages of documents, some still classified, and it has no money to turn them into digital images, so it readily agreed to a partnership with footenote.com, she said.

iArchives is buying copies of microfilms of documents and turning them into digital images. In return, the National Archives, and patrons who go there, get free access to footnote.com.

Others pay up to $99 a year, and footnote.com has attracted about 10,000 subscribers so far, Wilding said.

Under the partnership, footnote's images will be available for anyone to see on National Archives' Web site five years after the company first makes use of them.

"We think it's a very good deal for the American people," Cooper said.

The Web site just added documents from the Lincoln assassination. It also contains papers from the FBI's predecessor, the Bureau of Investigation, including a file on publisher William Randolph Hearst's alleged ties to Mexican rebels.

The Web site's entire collection includes photographs, journals, letters, birth certificates, christening records and newspaper articles.

Washington, DC and Lindon, UT… Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein and Footnote, Inc. CEO Russell Wilding today announced an agreement to digitize selected records from the vast holdings of the National Archives. The 4.5 million pages that have been digitized so far are now available at www.footnote.com/nara.

This non-exclusive agreement, beginning with the sizeable collection of materials currently on microfilm, will enable researchers and the general public to access millions of newly-digitized images of the National Archives historic records on a subscription basis from the Footnote website. By February 6, the digitized materials will also be available at no charge in National Archives research rooms in Washington D.C. and regional facilities across the country. After an interval of five years, all images digitized through this agreement will be available at no charge through the National Archives website.

"This is an exciting step forward for the National Archives," said Professor Weinstein. "It will immediately allow much greater access to approximately 4.5 million pages of important documents that are currently available only in their original format or on microfilm. The digitization of documents will also enhance our efforts to preserve our original records."

"The partnership with the National Archives will expand significantly the content we are able to offer professional and amateur researchers," said Footnote CEO Russell Wilding. "We will continue to add millions of original documents and images monthly. "

The following represents a portion of the millions of historic documents that will be made available as part of the National Archives - Footnote Agreement.

Papers of the Continental Congress (1774-89).The Papers of the Continental Congress include Journals of the Congress, reports of its committees, papers submitted by state Governments, and correspondence of its Presidents and other officers with diplomatic representatives of the United States abroad, officers in the Continental Army, State and local officials, and private persons. Among the Papers are copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance, the Constitution, and other documents instrumental in molding the new Government. Also included are drafts of treaties and commercial agreements, papers relating to expenditures and loans, reports of military progress during the Revolution, and papers relating to Indian treaties and tribes.

Mathew B Brady Collection of Civil War Photographs. One of the largest and most frequently researched bodies of Civil War photography anywhere, this series originated with some 6,000 glass plate negatives acquired by the War Department from Brady in 1874-1875. Encompassing images by the enterprising Brady and more than a dozen other photographers, including Alexander Gardner and Timothy O'Sullivan, directly or indirectly associated with him, the series ranges from Brady Gallery portraits of leading military and political personalities of the 1850's-1860's to views of units, battlefields, ruins, landscapes, camps, hospitals, prisons, fortifications, bridges, and railroads from Fredericksburg to Chickamauga to Atlanta.

Southern Claims Commission. In the 1870s, some southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings. The claim files contain a wealth of genealogical information and they consist of petitions, inventories of properties lost, testimony of family members and others, reports, and certificates submitted by claimants to the Southern Claims Commission as proof of loyalty to the Federal Government and value of property damaged or lost during the Civil War. The materials are arranged by state and thereunder by the name of the claimant.

Name Index to Civil War and Later Pension Files. Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1900, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served. The name index to the Civil War and Later Pension Application Files contains over 3 million index entries documenting the applications of soldiers, sailors and their widows. The index is the entry point for one of the most significant bodies of Federal records documenting the lives of volunteers who served in the Civil War, the western Indian Wars, and the Spanish American War.

Investigative Case Files of the Bureau of Investigation, 1908-22. The Bureau of Investigation investigated real and perceived threats to the nation and its citizens before it became the FBI. The materials compiled by the BOI from 1908 to 1922 consist of an index to the investigative case files, general investigative records, investigative records relating to German Aliens from 1915 through 1920, investigative records relating to Mexican Neutrality Violations from 1909 through 1921, and investigative records transferred from the Department of Justice from 1920 through 1921. The records are arranged alphabetically by the name of the person or organization investigated.

About the National Archives The National Archives and Records Administration, an independent federal agency, is the nation's record keeper. Founded in 1934, its mission is unique —to serve American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. It supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives meets a wide range of information needs, among them helping people to trace their families' history, making it possible for veterans to prove their entitlement to medical and other benefits, and preserving original White House records. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at www.archives.gov.

About Footnote, Inc. Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com. * * * For press information, contact National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300, or Footnote, Inc. spokesman Justin Schroepfer at 801-494-6517.

You'll find additional information at the National Archives website.