The devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina is clearly measured in loss of lives and homes, livelihoods and community support systems. And now comes Rita.

But as we dig out and reestablish some semblance of the life we knew before the storm, the loss of historic landmarks and the documentation of the very fabric of our rich and colorful history becomes more apparent and is-even now-being addressed.

Several wonderful web sites are now providing updates on the fates of historic landmarks, museums, libraries and research facilities in the states effected by these hurricanes. So if you are among the lucky folk who still have a roof

over your head and computer access, you may want to explore what has become of these institutions and what is being done to bring them back

One of the best sites is the Mississippi Heritage Trust Web site at

http://www.mississippiheritage.com/HurricaneKatrina.html.

MHT was established in 1992 and is the only statewide nonprofit preservation organization dedicated to the preservation of prehistoric and historic cultural resources in our state. MHT is also a statewide partner of the national Trust for Historic Preservation, The Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Mississippi Main Street Association.

MHT Executive Director David Preziosi was on the Mississippi Coast within days of Katrina to survey the damage and has returned with teams from Archives and History and his own organization several times.

This Web site presents the pictures taken from these trips and, in some cases, actual before and after shots of some of the structures. Although some are heartbreaking (and the loss IS tremendous), some are actually heartwarming with the potential of restoration clearly visible.

These pictures will be updated as new trips are made, so visit often and keep tabs on the progress that is being made to save what remains of the historic coast. You may also consider becoming a member of this group and supporting their remarkable work in this trying time.

The American Association of Museums is maintaining a detailed report from all museums, libraries, herbariums, historic landmarks and research labs in the storm areas at

http://www.aam-us.org/aamlatest/news/HurricaneFirstReports.cfm.

This includes updates from archives, historical collections and some libraries which are of great interest to all of us researchers. Remarkable advances have been made in saving and rehabilitating wet books and papers and great effort has been made to insure as few of these as possible are lost.

The AAM reports include landmarks and facilities as far north as Oxford in Mississippi and all of Alabama, Louisiana and Florida. Jackson-area facilities are covered in detail.

The Society of Southwest Archivists (with a link to the Society of American Archivists) have established a web site to present information from their colleagues and friends in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas who have been affected by the storms.

At the site repository information is posted along with Share Zones for news of Louisiana and Mississippi archives; photos of affected repositories; Needs; Volunteers; Supply and Space donations; and Jobs (short-term, temporary and contract work).

This past weekend SAA actually brought in a team to Mississippi to evaluate the needs on the front line. Working with members of Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH), an informal workshop on recovery of wet photographic materials was held and repositories in Waveland, Gulfport, and Biloxi were visited. A full report of the visit is available at the Web site.

Your MDAH staff has been working diligently on the recovery work on the coast with almost daily commutes from Jackson being necessary because there is simply no lodging, potable water or food available on the coast. Hats off to this special group for their tireless efforts to save our history.

Check out the news and updates at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History web site at

http://www.mdah.state.ms.us.

Links to Florida and Alabama Disaster Recovery sites are presented along with news from MDAH efforts.

Watch these sites for news of Rita as she roars ashore in the western Gulf and as recovery work continues in Katrina affected areas.

DOES ANYONE KNOW Š

Š Shirley Stubblefield (

grandma@consolidated.net

) is researching GEORGE STUBBLEFIELD who married MARY MARTIN 23 Dec 1877 in Amite County, MS. They raised a family there which included the following children: JOHN BEVIL STUBBLEFIELD; JANIE S. STUBBLEFIELD; WILLIE H. STUBBLEFIELD; JOSEPH STUBBLEFIELD and THOMAS LEE STUBBLEFIELD. They lived near Hebron Road until 1903. MARK H. MARTIN was Mary Martin Stubblefield’s brother and he is buried in the Keith Cemetery. Can any reader add more information to this line?

Please send your announcements and queries to FAMILY TREES, 900 Main Street, Natchez, MS 39120 or email

FAMTREE316@aol.com

. All queries are printed free of charge. We look forward to hearing from you!