Researching in Pennsylvania's County Courthouses & Archives - July 2026
July 23, 2026 3:00PM - 6:00PM ET
Unlocking Pennsylvania’s Hidden Past
History isn't just found in textbooks—it’s tucked away in the dusty basements, old filing cabinets, and local archives of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Many of the state’s most valuable genealogical treasures have never been digitized and can only be found on-site. In this course, you’ll become a historical detective, learning how to navigate local courthouses to uncover vital records, wills, deeds, naturalizations, and divorce files. Step away from the search engine and discover the boots-on-the-ground strategies needed to break through your brick walls and trace your Pennsylvania ancestors.
This live, three-hour session is designed to immerse you in a hands-on learning experience. Led by genealogy expert Lindsay Harner you’ll benefit from:
- Expert Guidance: Learn directly from a renowned genealogy professional.
- Practical Handouts: Access downloadable resources to enhance your learning.
- PLUS - Receive the digital Pennsylvania State Research Guide ($9.99 value) FREE!
Q&A: Get your questions answered during the live session and through our exclusive online forum for one week, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
What You’ll Learn
- The PA County Timeline: Master the shifting borders and formations of Pennsylvania's counties so you always know exactly where and when your ancestors lived.
- Courthouse Matchmaking: Learn how to pinpoint the exact courthouse or archive holding the specific records you need.
- The Repository Survival Guide: Discover exactly what to pack—and what to leave at home—to ensure a smooth, professional, and successful on-site research trip.
-
Navigating the Courthouse Stacks: Gain a step-by-step roadmap to locating critical local records, including:
- Deeds, mortgages, and land tracts
- Wills, administrations, and estate files
- Historic tax lists and assessments
- Criminal court proceedings
- Guardianship and orphanage records
- Birth, marriage, and death vitals
- Demystifying the Prothonotary: Uncover the unique role of this Pennsylvania-specific official and learn how to extract the goldmine of civil records kept in their office.
- County Archives vs. Courthouses: Identify which PA counties have dedicated archives and how their holdings differ from traditional courthouse basements.
- Digital Prep Work: Learn how to navigate online indexes and effectively order records from afar before you ever step foot out the door.
- The Bulletproof Research Plan: Build a strategic, time-saving game plan to maximize every hour of your next research trip.
-
Real-World Case Studies: See these strategies in action through real examples of breakthrough discoveries made using Pennsylvania's local records.
By the end of this course you'll be able to:
- Graduate Beyond the Search Engine: Confidently transition from basic online databases to rich, offline repositories where your ancestors' true stories are kept.
- Break Through Genealogical "Brick Walls": Weaponize hyper-local county records to shatter long-standing research roadblocks that online ancestry sites can't solve.
- Research Remotely Like a Local: Master the art of navigating online county indexes and ordering physical records from afar, eliminating the need for expensive travel.
- Conquer Pennsylvania's Unique Landscape: Trace ancestral migrations through the Keystone State with confidence, whether you live in Pennsylvania or are researching your roots from across the country.
-
Unearth Deeply Personal History: Locate the rare, localized documents that go beyond names and dates to reveal the daily lives, struggles, and triumphs of your family tree.
Experience Interactive Learning with an Expert
Lindsay Harner is a professional genealogist based in north-central Pennsylvania. Clients from across the country rely on her expertise to uncover and retrieve records hidden away in Pennsylvania’s local courthouses.
A graduate of Boston University's Genealogical Principles Course, Lindsay is a widely recognized voice in the genealogy community. Her work has been published in Family Tree Magazine and NGS Magazine, and she frequently presents on a variety of research topics for prestigious organizations, including the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center. She is also the author of the Amazon e-book, Find Your Ancestors in the U.S. Federal Census: A 4-Step Process for Finding Elusive Ancestors in the Census.
Don’t let your family history stop where the internet ends. Join us today, and turn your Pennsylvania "brick walls" into the breakthrough stories your ancestors have been waiting for you to tell.
Ready to dig in? Let’s uncover your Pennsylvania legacy!
July 23, 2026 3:00PM - 6:00PM ET
Unlocking Pennsylvania’s Hidden Past
History isn't just found in textbooks—it’s tucked away in the dusty basements, old filing cabinets, and local archives of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Many of the state’s most valuable genealogical treasures have never been digitized and can only be found on-site. In this course, you’ll become a historical detective, learning how to navigate local courthouses to uncover vital records, wills, deeds, naturalizations, and divorce files. Step away from the search engine and discover the boots-on-the-ground strategies needed to break through your brick walls and trace your Pennsylvania ancestors.
This live, three-hour session is designed to immerse you in a hands-on learning experience. Led by genealogy expert Lindsay Harner you’ll benefit from:
- Expert Guidance: Learn directly from a renowned genealogy professional.
- Practical Handouts: Access downloadable resources to enhance your learning.
- PLUS - Receive the digital Pennsylvania State Research Guide ($9.99 value) FREE!
Q&A: Get your questions answered during the live session and through our exclusive online forum for one week, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
What You’ll Learn
- The PA County Timeline: Master the shifting borders and formations of Pennsylvania's counties so you always know exactly where and when your ancestors lived.
- Courthouse Matchmaking: Learn how to pinpoint the exact courthouse or archive holding the specific records you need.
- The Repository Survival Guide: Discover exactly what to pack—and what to leave at home—to ensure a smooth, professional, and successful on-site research trip.
-
Navigating the Courthouse Stacks: Gain a step-by-step roadmap to locating critical local records, including:
- Deeds, mortgages, and land tracts
- Wills, administrations, and estate files
- Historic tax lists and assessments
- Criminal court proceedings
- Guardianship and orphanage records
- Birth, marriage, and death vitals
- Demystifying the Prothonotary: Uncover the unique role of this Pennsylvania-specific official and learn how to extract the goldmine of civil records kept in their office.
- County Archives vs. Courthouses: Identify which PA counties have dedicated archives and how their holdings differ from traditional courthouse basements.
- Digital Prep Work: Learn how to navigate online indexes and effectively order records from afar before you ever step foot out the door.
- The Bulletproof Research Plan: Build a strategic, time-saving game plan to maximize every hour of your next research trip.
-
Real-World Case Studies: See these strategies in action through real examples of breakthrough discoveries made using Pennsylvania's local records.
By the end of this course you'll be able to:
- Graduate Beyond the Search Engine: Confidently transition from basic online databases to rich, offline repositories where your ancestors' true stories are kept.
- Break Through Genealogical "Brick Walls": Weaponize hyper-local county records to shatter long-standing research roadblocks that online ancestry sites can't solve.
- Research Remotely Like a Local: Master the art of navigating online county indexes and ordering physical records from afar, eliminating the need for expensive travel.
- Conquer Pennsylvania's Unique Landscape: Trace ancestral migrations through the Keystone State with confidence, whether you live in Pennsylvania or are researching your roots from across the country.
-
Unearth Deeply Personal History: Locate the rare, localized documents that go beyond names and dates to reveal the daily lives, struggles, and triumphs of your family tree.
Experience Interactive Learning with an Expert
Lindsay Harner is a professional genealogist based in north-central Pennsylvania. Clients from across the country rely on her expertise to uncover and retrieve records hidden away in Pennsylvania’s local courthouses.
A graduate of Boston University's Genealogical Principles Course, Lindsay is a widely recognized voice in the genealogy community. Her work has been published in Family Tree Magazine and NGS Magazine, and she frequently presents on a variety of research topics for prestigious organizations, including the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center. She is also the author of the Amazon e-book, Find Your Ancestors in the U.S. Federal Census: A 4-Step Process for Finding Elusive Ancestors in the Census.
Don’t let your family history stop where the internet ends. Join us today, and turn your Pennsylvania "brick walls" into the breakthrough stories your ancestors have been waiting for you to tell.
Ready to dig in? Let’s uncover your Pennsylvania legacy!