Carnahan Launches the Great Missouri Treasure Hunt June 28th 2011
From the SOS Office: Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced the start of the Great Missouri Treasure Hunt, a statewide contest that celebrates Missouri’s rich heritage and the millions of historic records held by public institutions. The contest invites Missourians to explore these collections and share what they discover about their family or community. Participants can submit stories, scans of documents, photos or videos for a chance to win history-related prizes.
“From locating death certificates to skimming World War I muster records, the stories Missourians uncover at the Archives are remarkable,” Carnahan said. A fifth generation Missourian, she remembers helping her mother “find out-of-the-way church cemeteries and sift through dusty boxes in courthouse basements” to research her family history.
Today, many records that used to sit in dusty boxes can be easily searched and viewed online. Participants can search more than six million documents and photographs at MissouriDigitalHeritage.com, including death certificates, military service cards, photographs, naturalization records, historic newspapers, Civil War records and judicial case files. Countless other records are housed at the Missouri State Archives, historical societies, local libraries and museums throughout the state.
The Great Missouri Treasure Hunt will award prizes in three categories: Family History, Civil War History and Missouri History. To enter the contest, participants must share the story of their “Missouri Treasure” and explain its significance, for example a death certificate that reveals a missing link in a family tree, or a Provost Marshal letter that details how the Civil War impacted a Missouri community. Personal treasures may be entered as well, such as old photographs, maps, or letters. Although not required, participants are encouraged to attach photos, scans of documents, or a video to illustrate their story.
The contest, which is hosted by the Missouri State Archives, is open until August 31, 2011. Participants can win one of more than 100 prizes by participating in weekly challenges on the contest’s Facebook page or by submitting an entry to the contest. The winners in each category will be chosen through online voting. Prizes include a hotel stay near the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, a family portrait session using Civil War-era tintype photography, numerous books on Missouri history, preservation supplies, games, digitization of old home movies, and a spot in the 2011-2012 Official Manual of the State of Missouri. Complete rules and entry form are available online at http://www.GreatMissouriTreasureHunt.com.
Sponsors include the Friends of the Missouri State Archives, Home Movie Depot, Weider History Group, University of Missouri Press, Missouri Life Magazine, FamilySearch, Arcadia Publishing, Richmond Alternative Photography, and the Federation of Genealogical Services.
