Currently, KITH has five formal partners, and many friends, although it is hard to distinguish the partners from the friends in the painting above. While the partners have varied interests, they are all united in having an interest in the GeoGen Project and the potential for it to drive Digital Genealogy. All of them have considerable track records, some for several decades. KITH is delighted to be joined with them in advancing this work.
Heritage Association of Antigonish (HAA)
Heritage Antigonish has an unusual two-body system: the Heritage Association of Antigonish (HAA), a voluntary group involved in heritage projects; and the Antigonish Heritage Museum Board with HAA and Municipal representation, which runs the Antigonish Heritage Museum. Given the economic character and population distributions of Antigonish county, Heritage Antigonish is a dominant heritage entity within the region. The Headquarters is located in the Old Railway Station, and it is not an accident that this beautiful building forms the centerpiece of their logo.
East Hants Historical Society (EHHS)
East Hants Historical Society is only responsible for the heritage and genealogical work in half a county. Whether the East is the best half or the worst half is still undecided, although it is contested almost every year in contests of arms, in an otherwise amicable relation with their West Hants counterpart. The Society's claims revolve around the fastidiousness and effort which are applied to their Museum in Lower Selma, a very elegant former church located in a beautiful setting. The organization has been involved recently in developing oral histories in the area and developing an inventory of cemeteries.
West Hants Historical Society (WHHS)
West Hants Historical Society is located in downtown Windsor in a former church. It has a reputation for its tremendous fund-raising dinners, but its expertise is rooted in the large archives they maintain of historical and genealogical materials. They simply have the deepest records for West Hants county of any organizaton in the province.
Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS)
Formed initially in 1982 out of the Genealogical Committee of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, GANS is one of the oldest genealogical associations in the province. Although its name gives them a remit for the entire province, its offices are located in Dartmouth. While it has led a number of province-wide initiatives, its daily work is focussed on Halifax County. The County is so large, both in size and population, that there are a lot of small heritage organizations scattered throughout the county as well. GANS supports a magnificent research library and is powered by a considerable number of volunteers.
Maritime Institute for Civil Society (MIRCS)
MIRCS has research and education aims, with a view to supporting and encouraging the renewal of civil society. Its single largest initiative has been facilitating the development of the GeoGen Project, and this led to spawning a new company - KITH - who can take the reins from here forward. The Institute is currently preparing a collection of essays on the eminent genealogist, the late Terry Punch, and has intervened in several recent land-use issues in Halifax.
KITH is working with heritage groups in Antigonish, Hants and Halifax counties to preserve and digitize the A. F. Church maps and match the map information with existing genealogical records. The goal is to improve our understanding of the history and social relations in nineteenth century Nova Scotia, and make this data publicly accessible.
