Description: Maps can reveal far more than locations – they uncover movement, relationships, and historical context that traditional records often miss. This session explores how to use maps as powerful tools for both research and storytelling.

• Plot property ownership and track where ancestors lived over time
• Use Sanborn maps to pinpoint residences and identify missing locations
• Map homesteads to uncover connections between neighboring families
• Trace immigration routes across countries and continents
• Chart disasters and historical events that shaped your family's experience
• Track military service through stations, movements, and deployments
• Use Google Maps and Google Earth to explore hometowns and ancestral properties

Whether you are working through a research challenge or looking for new ways to present your findings, this session offers practical strategies for visualizing and sharing your family history.

BIO: Susie Wickman has been teaching genealogy classes since 2017. She holds a BSBA from the University of North Dakota and an MA in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University.

Her interest in family history began in 2002, after her parents passed away. Her research into her father's military service led to years of studying records, mapping movements, and uncovering the stories behind the names. Susie enjoys sharing practical ways to write and map family history, believing that stories are what spark curiosity and keep children and grandchildren engaged in their heritage.