Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen

Kathleen Brandt

A "brick-wall"  DIY genealogy podcast that features your questions and Kathleen Brandt's answers. She wants your stories, questions, and “brick walls”.   But be ready to add to your "to-do" list.  As Kathleen always says, this is a Do it yourself (DIY) genealogy podcast. “I'll show you where the shovel is, but I'm not digging up your family.”  Maybe, you have no idea where to start searching for an ancestor. Or, perhaps you want to know more about your family folklore. Host Kathleen has 20 years in the industry and is the founder of a3genealogy. She's able to dispense genealogy research advice and encouragement in understandable terms that won't get you lost in genealogy jargon. Along with her husband and co-host, John, she helps you accomplish "do-it-yourself" research goals, learn some history, and have a bit of fun along the way. Light-hearted and full of detailed info, Hittin' the Bricks is your solution for your brick-wall research problems.

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Books, Blogs and B.S. (Better Sources)

Let us know what you think! Episode Overview Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, helping researchers build stronger family histories through better sources and smarter research methods. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt shares a curated summer reading list for genealogists, featuring nonfiction books that demonstrate how historians use original records to reconstruct real lives. More than book recommendations, this episod...

Jul 23

16 min

Finding Ancestors in The Congressional Serial Set

Let us know what you think! Episode Overview Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, helping researchers uncover records and historical context that bring family stories to life. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt explores the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, one of the most overlooked resources in genealogy research. Far more than a collection of congressional documents, the Serial Set contains petitions, testimony, claims, inv...

Jun 16

19 min

Mailbag Mania: Three Genealogy Records That Break Brick Walls

Let us know what you think! #genealogy #familysearch #census #bountyland Episode Overview Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, helping researchers uncover overlooked records and stronger research strategies. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt answers listener questions focused on three high-impact genealogy sources that can quickly break through stubborn brick walls: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) records, Virginia Revol...

May 26

20 min

Genealogy Road Trip: Research Beyond the Internet

Let us know what you think! #genealogy #genealogytips #rootstrip #FamilyHistoryTravel Episode Overview Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, helping researchers move beyond online databases and into the archives, collections, and communities where deeper family stories live. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt gets honest about what researchers cannot afford to forget on a summer genealogy road trip—from choosing ...

May 12

29 min

Tracing Ancestors Who ‘Went West’: Hidden Records Along the Trails

Let us know what you think! Episode Overview Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, focusing on how place, movement, and records intersect. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt speaks with Melissa Brown from the National Frontier Trails Museum about why Independence, Missouri became a primary jumping-off point for westward migration—and how that context changes real genealogy research. Together, they show how to move from famil...

Apr 21

29 min

Beyond Secrets: Diaries with Angie Rodesky

Let us know what you think! Episode Overview Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, exploring how overlooked sources reveal deeper family stories. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt speaks with diary collector and history writer Angie Rodesky about how journals, letters, and personal writings provide granular clues for genealogy and local history research. Together, they explore how diaries expand your understanding of an anc...

Apr 8

28 min

Citizens and Nationals: Researching Overseas Territories

Let us know what you think! SHOW NOTE UPDATE: We would like to thank one of our listeners from Oakland, California for submitting the following clarification: "Puerto Ricans who live on the island can’t vote in federal elections as set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Consequently, they do not have full representation in Congress." For Clarification: The United States Constitution does not explicitly say “Puerto Ricans cannot vote.” Instead: Presidential elections are determined ...

Mar 25

19 min

MGC Memory Lab: A Chat with Chelsea Clarke

Let us know what you think! Episode OverviewHittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, with a focus on clear reasoning, historical context, and practical research methods. In this episode, Kathleen and John Brandt sit down with guest Chelsea Clarke from the Midwest Genealogy Center to explore how a free, do-it-yourself Memory Lab helps families preserve and digitize their personal archives. From VHS tapes and cassette recordings to ...

Mar 8

25 min

One-Place Studies: Meet Denise Cross

Let us know what you think! #oneplacestudy #genealogy #genealogybasics Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, with a focus on clear reasoning, historical context, and practical research methods. In this episode, Kathleen and John Brandt are joined by guest Denise Cross to explore how a one-place study transforms scattered historical records into a working model of a town—and how that model can be used to solve difficult genealo...

Feb 22

29 min

Quantum Genealogy: Method versus Metaphor

Let us know what you think! Episode Overview Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is the genealogy podcast that features your questions and her answers, focusing on clear reasoning, historical context, and practical research methods. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt unpacks the growing buzz around the term “quantum genealogy,” explaining why it functions as a metaphor rather than a research method—and why real genealogical breakthroughs still depend on careful human analysis. The episode exa...

Feb 10

16 min