This is the fourth post in my Family History Binder series. Click here to go back to part 1.
The first divider in my family history binder is labeled “maps, photos, etc”. I had originally planned on putting this section last in my binder, but I found that this was the section that people were most interested in looking at and I didn’t want to make them flip past the 200 pages of documents every time.
The maps I included were ones that didn’t necessarily pertain to a specific individual but would still be interesting to have. Here are a couple examples:
1880 Colden, New York: founded by an ancestor and home to a few generations of his descendents
1878 Winfield, Kansas: home to 3 generations of ancestors
My photo section includes copies of every photo I have of the 15 ancestors in my pedigree chart (see Part 3). I purchased Ultra Pro 5X7 Photo Pages to organize them before discovering that it is actually fairly expensive to have 5x7s printed. I could have used 4×6 but decided instead to have 5x7s printed on glossy cardstock at Staples. I put 2 on each page and then cut them out with my Fiskars Paper Trimmer.
What I love about the Ultra Pro 5X7 Photo Pages is the extra slot next to each photo where you can put a caption.
In my captions, I also included the number of each individual (refer to Part 3 to see my numbering system). My reason for not placing the photos of the individual in their specific section of the binder is that I would need to make multiple copies of many family portraits (the top photo shown here would need to be printed for Carl, Ada, and Aaron’s sections).
I added “etc” to my divider tab so that I can add other types documents in the future if I find that they don’t fit anywhere else, like a family crest or DNA data.
Click here to go to part 5 of the Family History Binder series.
Do As I'm Doing 
Thank your for writing up your process! You have done a fantastic job.
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Looking forward to your next post enjoying all you have shared with us.Well done I am in Australia and cannot buy the extra wide binders here even at our Office works Stationary Store So I will have to order through Amazon.
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It is so random that I came across your page. I saw a post on pinterest of the front of your genealogy book and wanted to look closer at your page because my maiden name is Reynolds. Then I saw on one of your comments that there was a line of your family from Kansas (Buffum – I feel like that name is familiar to me), where I am from. And when I got to this specific post, you have a map of my hometown, Winfield! My family line of Reynolds came to Kansas from North Carolina.
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My father-in-law is from Winfield and still has lots of Reynolds relatives there. I wonder if you are somehow related! I’ve personally traced the line back to Thomas Jefferson Reynolds from Kentucky but I’ve seen trees that extend back to Virginia and other areas around there.
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That is so neat! My parents have done a lot of research on our family tree. My brother and I were the fifth generation of our family that lived in Winfield on the family farm. William and Elizabeth Reynolds are the ones that originally moved here from North Carolina. We actually lived close to the Pleasant Valley Township which I saw listed under the name of one of your husband’s ancestors on a different post. I think I remember hearing that there were other Reynolds in Winfield that weren’t related to us, but it would be funny if we were related somehow. 🙂
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Awesome job and very inspirational for me! Thank you!
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I live this idea for ive been trying to trace mine but getting know where fast
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Hi, Jess. Thank you so much for sharing your binder ideas with us. I have binders, and folders, and files on my computer!!! My question is: Which ancestor’s pedigree chart do you start with in your binder shown above? Is #1 yourself with your mother/father lineage? Or is that your mother/father with their lineage? Thank you in advance. Paula
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Just came across your 6th post on Pinterest. I have folders and a small binder. Your organization certainly takes it to the next level. I am going to see my 3 cousins and brother at a wedding for my cousin’s son at the end of October. Now being the matriarch of the family (did not lobby for that title), this will make a great gift for the bride and groom as well as the rest of the family. Tgank you!!!!
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