 |
| On Monday, June 18, Hamilton County Recorder Wayne Coates presented Patricia Van Skaik, Manager of the Genealogy & Local History Department at the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County, with the 2012 Griffin Yeatman Historical Achievement Award. From left to right are: Kimber L. Fender, Cincinnati Public Llibrary's Eva Jane Romaine Coombe; Director Wayne Coates, Hamilton County Recorder; Patricia Van Skaik, Manger of the Library's Genealogy & Local History Department; Kenny Burke, Past-President of the Hamilton County Genealogical Society; Greg Edwards, Assistant Director -- Library Services; Paula Brehm-Heeger, Library Services Manager -- Central Region. |
While working at
the Library for the past 28 years, some of Van Skaik’s achievements include
coordinating the annual Family History Day; developing a large collection of
records on microfilm and books from courthouses and historical societies;
working to digitize Cincinnati City Directories; and making grave registration
cards of war veterans available.
A recognized
genealogy expert who has spoken nationally and internationally, Van Skaik has
served on the Board of Ohio Genealogical Society for more than 20 years. She
has coordinated entry of local historical items into Newsdex, created a video
archive of oral histories of 350 World War II and Korean War veterans, mounted
an exhibit commemorating the 1937 flood, and developed enumeration district map
overlays of the 1940 Hamilton County map. She also brought
worldwide attention to the importance and preservation of the “Cincinnati
Panorama of 1848.”
The Hamilton County
Recorder’s Office created the Griffin Yeatman Historical Achievement Award in
1994 to recognize the citizens and groups of Hamilton County who volunteer
their time and service to preserving and promoting the history of Hamilton County.
The award is presented for excellence in historical preservation, research or
achievement, which has contributed to the preservation of buildings, sites,
structures and objects pertaining to Hamilton County’s History.
Press Release:
CONTACT:
513.369.4571
