Any attempt to trace our genealogy can easily become the study of a specific time and place, and this book proves the point by surveying American history through 16 cities, including New York, Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, and Baltimore. Each section features beautiful, full-color maps published at crucial points in each city's history, tracing its growth and development from its founding to the early 1900s. Use the maps to find your ancestors' homes and neighborhoods, while the guide also includes genealogy research tips for finding local birth, marriage, and death records; federal and state censuses; and city directories.