The first military conscription in the United States occurred during the Civil War, but the military draft process we are familiar with today originated with the Selective Service Act of 1917, passed by Congress on May 18, 1917. Six weeks … Continue reading
Author Archives: Laura
Confederate Civil War Records Free on Fold3 in April
April 3, 2013 by Laura | 3 Comments
Fun Feature: Have you noticed that the image on the Fold3 landing page for the Civil War Collection changes from “Civil War” to “War Between the States” when you move your cursor over the 150th-anniversary logo? Give it a try. … Continue reading
Navy Muster Rolls, 1939-1949
December 19, 2012 by Laura | Comments Off on Navy Muster Rolls, 1939-1949
World War II Navy Muster Rolls are now being added to Fold3’s World War II Collection. With a full title of “Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities, compiled 01/01/1939 – 01/01/1949,” these are reports of … Continue reading
Fold3 Surpasses 100 Million Images
October 17, 2012 by Laura | 5 Comments
Earlier this month, we reached a major milestone when the counter on the Fold3 home page spun to and exceeded 100,000,000 record images. Our digital partners—the National Archives (NARA), Allen County Public Library, FamilySearch, and others—helped Fold3 attain this significant … Continue reading
WWII Draft Registration Cards – North Carolina
On Wednesday, October 16, 1940, 25-year-old Beuford Astor Bost stood in line at his local draft board in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, to register for the first peace-time draft in U.S. history. He was one of over 16 million men … Continue reading
Presidential Discoveries
August 24, 2012 by Laura | Comments Off on Presidential Discoveries
As we head into the presidential election season—officially launched by two conventions within the next few weeks—we’d like to highlight some Fold3 presidential discoveries. Presidential Conventions This year, the Republican National Convention takes place August 27-30 in Tampa Bay. The … Continue reading
Confidential Correspondence of the Navy, 1919-1927
August 8, 2012 by Laura | Comments Off on Confidential Correspondence of the Navy, 1919-1927
Documents classified as “secret and confidential” provoke an all-too-human urge to peek at something forbidden. That urge becomes irresistible when those documents are military records. Fold3’s newest title, Confidential Correspondence of the Navy, 1919-1927, lets you sneak back in time … Continue reading