This year is a "return engagement" of sorts. The Genealogical Forum of Oregon hosted the same conference 10 years ago. I was at the 1991 Portland conference and can report that it was one of the best ones I have ever attended. I suspect that many of the same people are organizing this year’s conference, so I am expecting this one will be top-notch as well.

The 2001 NGS Conference will feature many classes on genealogy methodology (how to), migration and naturalization, courthouse research, and land records. A delegation from the Public Record Office (PRO) in London will also be in attendance to help you with your British research; they will be giving classes and also meeting with the public in the exhibitors’ hall.

Genetics and family medical topics seem to be the next "big wave" in genealogy. The 2001 NGS Conference will feature a full day of family health history topics on Wednesday.

You can also learn about ethnic research, such as Hispanic, Chinese, Native American, or Jewish genealogy. Each day there will be 10 computer classes. There are also six computer labs. You will need to pre-register and pay an extra fee for the computer labs. Past computer labs have been fully booked before opening day, so be sure to sign up early.

The conference will also feature a full day of "writing your family history" classes on Friday. There are dozens of other classes—and all will help you get over your brick wall and find grandpa and grandma.

The exhibitors’ hall is always a big feature at these conferences. Many genealogy vendors announce new products or services at the NGS Conference, so you can always see "what’s new." This is usually the biggest genealogy exhibitors’ area in the country, and you can buy genealogy software, CD-ROM disks, books, and more. Best of all, there is no sales tax in Oregon!

The 2001 NGS conference will take place in the Oregon Convention Center, a modern and accommodating facility located on the east side of the Willamette River, and the downtown area is just across the bridge. I believe this is the same location as the 1991 conference. If so, I can tell you that it is an excellent facility.

The host hotels are clustered around the Center. Portland’s Tri-Met bus and MAX light-rail system are clean and very efficient. I rode the light rail several times during my last visit and was quite impressed with it. It is possible to stay at a distant hotel and still travel back and forth to the conference center without an automobile and with very little walking. The MAX runs in front of the Oregon Convention Center, arriving and departing every 10 to 15 minutes. A three-day Adventure Pass allows visitors to travel economically around Portland on both train and bus.

A four-day conference like this is always more expensive than smaller events, and this year’s event is no exception; the registration fee is $185 for NGS members, $215 for non-members. However, the information available in these seminars can easily save you hundreds of hours of wasted time and effort. Even better, you can deduct $25 from the registration fee if you send in your registration by March 19th.

You can register online for the 2001 NGS Conference in the States at the NGS Web site. You can also request a registration brochure by sending an e-mail to conference@ngsgenealogy.org. If you have questions about the conference or getting around Portland, send an e-mail to ngs2001_info@gfo.org.