No experience necessary, just sign up to join!

We have several projects you can help complete as your time allows within the Archive's Center.

We provide all the tools and have training sessions to learn how to use our equipment.

Available Positions include:

Ø  Manning the reception area

Ø  Helping other patrons with research

Ø  Flattening and filing trifold court documents

Ø  Labeling records

Ø  Data Entry

Ø  Translating Old German script into English

Ø  Transcribing documents

Ø  Cemetery cleaning and documenting

Current Volunteers 

Carol Bruhl A volunteer since the opening of the Archive Center, Carol Bruhl has many projects under her belt. From archiving marriage records to helping transcribe the 1930 Census into the computer database, Mrs. Bruhl is always willing to help with any job we have need of. Currently Mrs. Bruhl is working on archiving our miscellaneous County Clerk records. Archiving is detailed job involving removing any metal items, i.e. staples or paperclips, from the records along with flattening and placing the documents in acid-free folders to be indexed and then placed on our shelves for patron use. In her free time, Mrs. Bruhl has accumulated 25 years of genealogical research for herself and family members. Her list of surnames includes: Bruhl/Brul, McNeely, Caldwell, Alexander, Morton, Kostal, Daniel, Gerler, Hilpert, and Oehler.

Dorothy Rowley A volunteer since the opening of the Archive Center, Dorothy Rowley maintains membership in the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society and the Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society. Currently Mrs. Rowley is working on compiling a list of the Genealogical Society’s holding at the Archive Center. In the past, Mrs. Rowley has aided in reconstructing an 1803 census, which is posted on the Archive’s website, and reconstructing an 1890 census from the personal property tax listings. In her leisure time, she also enjoys on-going genealogical research and has put 40 years worth time into collecting data.

Ann and Bob Parkinson Ann and Bob Parkinson are a dedicated husband and wife team who have been volunteering since six months after the opening of the Archive Center. They have been jointly working on creating abstracts of the County Clerk records starting beginning in 1805 and have completed up to 1849. Bob reads through the originals and writes the abstracts which Ann types and indexes on the computer. Together they also enjoyed genealogical research since 1984. Ann has complete 3 books on their family titled The Lundy-Henry Family History, The Koch-Achilles Family History, and The Story of Us (A book detailing the stories of Bob and Ann completed for their 50th wedding anniversary). Bob has also competed three books on his genealogy titled The Parkinson-Little Family History, The Abbott-Baird Family History, and The Ragg-Kopp Family History. Bob maintains membership in the National Society for Preservation of Covered Bridges and the Extra Mile Club in which members are encouraged to visit every county in every state.