Name: Genealogy Speaker Series – Guide for Reading Old Handwriting
Start: 2026-10-31T00:00:00
End: 2026-10-31T00:00:00
Location: Virtual and Polk County History Center — 100 E. Main St., Bartow, FL 33830

When: October 31, 2026

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.

Location: Virtual and Polk County History Center — 100 E. Main St., Bartow, FL 33830

Final presentation of 2026

Decoding old handwriting can feel like cracking a secret code — but with the right tools, you can master it.

You are invited to this month’s speaker presentation “A Quick and Dirty Guide for Reading Old Handwriting and Script”, presented by Kelley Barret. Barret is a Consulting Genealogist for Vegas Ancestor Hunter.

This lively session strips away the mystery and gives you practical, proven techniques to more confidently read letters, records and documents written decades or even centuries ago. You’ll learn how to recognize tricky letterforms, spot common handwriting quirks and discover reliable resources to turn to when you hit a scribbly brick wall. Whether you are a genealogist, historian or curious reader of the past, this session will help you bring old words back to life.

This is a virtual program.

The presenter will appear virtually. Guests are invited to participate via Zoom or in person at the Polk County History Center, located at 100 E. Main St., Bartow, FL 33830.

BACK TO CALENDAR