How to Use the GG Archives – A Guide for Genealogists, Historians & Educators

The GG Archives stands as an exceptional resource for genealogists, historians, educators, and students, offering a vast collection of materials that document social and cultural history. From passenger lists and ship ephemera to military archives, immigration records, and vintage fashions, this digital archive captures the rich tapestry of human experiences from the 1880s through 1954.

For those exploring family history, studying transatlantic migration, or researching military and maritime history, the GG Archives provides primary source documents that are essential for uncovering the past. With over 8,000 static pages and 29,000 images, the archive is a goldmine for historical research, offering invaluable details that bring personal and global histories to life.

🔑 Key Research Areas & How to Use the GG Archives Effectively

🚢 Ocean Travel & Immigration Archives

Passenger Lists & Ephemera: Thousands of ship passenger lists, landing cards, tickets, and shipboard correspondence.

Ellis Island & US Immigration History: Policies, inspection cards, and immigrant experiences.

Life Onboard Steamships: Brochures, menus, postcards, and photographs of daily life at sea.

🎖 Military Archives

Bootcamp Yearbooks: US Navy, Army, & Marine Corps collections covering training camps and deployment cruise books.

WWI & WWII Materials: Draft notices, recruitment posters, and Hello Girls correspondence.

👗 Vintage Fashion & Cultural Artifacts

Fashions from the 1880s–1930s: Rare photographs, ads, and fashion articles showing evolving styles.

🍽 Culinary History

Ocean Liner Menus: Luxury dining records showing class distinctions and culinary preferences.

📜 High-Resolution Historical Images

For Academic & Commercial Use: Production companies, publishers, and museums license scans for professional work.

Free Low-Resolution Images: Available for personal and classroom use.

📚 Case Studies & Noteworthy Uses

Discovery Channel’s Treasure Quest – RMS Laconia

GG Archives provided rare still images of the Cunard Line’s RMS Laconia, sunk in 1917, for a WWI naval history documentary.

University Theses

Graduate students at the University of Washington and University of Tromsø used GG Archives’ shipbuilding and Arctic route materials in published theses.

Immigration History

A 2023 doctoral dissertation used our Edward F. McSweeney (Ellis Island Commissioner) image to illustrate early U.S. immigration policy.

📝 For Teachers & Students

Essay Prompt: Choose a passenger list, fashion catalog, or WPA report from the GG Archives. What does it reveal about everyday life in its time? Write a short essay (300–500 words) analyzing what you discover.

✍️ Suggested Essay Prompts

These prompts are designed for use in middle school, high school, and college classrooms, and may be adapted for 500–1,500 word essays depending on grade level.

• Analyze how primary sources such as passenger lists and immigration documents can bring family history research to life.
• Discuss how U.S. immigration policies (1880–1930) shaped the journeys of millions of immigrants, using materials from the GG Archives.
• Compare dining customs aboard ocean liners as reflected in vintage menus with modern travel dining experiences.
• Evaluate the cultural significance of military boot camp yearbooks as historical documents of social and institutional memory.
• Explore the role of vintage fashion ephemera in understanding societal norms and class distinctions during the early 20th century.

✏️ Note for Educators

The essay prompts and educational materials provided on this page are free to use in classrooms, assignments, and lesson plans. Teachers, students, and homeschool families are encouraged to incorporate them into reports, projects, and discussions without seeking additional permission. We only ask that, when possible, you include a proper citation to the GG Archives so future researchers can also find and benefit from these resources.

Last Updated: February 2025