Thread by @AmyJohnsonCrow

My first impressions on the #1950census on NARA's website: a 🧵...

The search interface is easy to use. Drop downs for the state and county. Also includes the territories that are covered. /2

(Before I go too far, I'm talking specifically about using bit.ly/3K2VNX1 ) /3

There's a field to enter the enumeration district if you want. Note: Make sure you enter the dash. It won't work if you leave it out. /4

Ok, let's get to the names. Kudos to NARA for creating an index with handwriting recognition software. This technology has real promise! That being said... /5

It struggles if the handwriting isn't exactly crystal clear. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a wildcard function. That's sad 🥲 /6

Something else that's sad (and will really mess up researchers) -- if you do a search with a name, you cannot then scroll forward and backward through the images. /7

This is problematic for households that continue on the next page. It also prevents you from finding a relative's name, and then easily browsing the images to find the rest of the family living nearby. /8

Coupled with the lack of wildcard searching, this makes a *big* stumbling block for going through the neighborhood. /9

With the name search: the index gets mainly the names with both the first name and surname on that line. That's the head of household and others in the household with a different last name. If you do a name search, search for the HOH. /10

For the "no one at home" entries, make a note of the sheet & line that it says on the entry. Then scroll to the end of that ED to find that sheet. (Though if you did a name search & happened to see that, you'll have to re-do your search with just the location so you can browse.)

I'll have more thoughts/observations later when I've had a chance to dig into it more. But overall, it's a good site if you recognize the limitations. Stay patient, explore, be flexible... and have fun.