Preserving family history  can seem likea daunting task that begins with a finished book, a perfect archive or expensive software. Sometimes it begins with one name, one photograph, one story, or one question someone finally remembers to ask.

These free Heritage Grove resources are designed to help families begin recording the people, memories, relationships and stories that might otherwise be scattered or forgotten.

A simple Excel workbook for recording family members, parent-child links, spouses, stories, photographs, timeline events and sources.

Unlike a basic printable chart, this workbook is built around a person-centred family archive. Each person is entered once, then relationships can be explored from that person’s profile.

Best for:

• Families beginning a family tree

• People organizing several generations

• Families with many siblings, marriages or branches

• Anyone who wants to preserve stories alongside names and dates

Download the Workbook → 

(Requires Microsoft Excel 365 or a recent version of Excel.) 

A practical guide to help families begin meaningful conversations and record memories in a way future generations can understand

Best for:

• Interviewing parents or grandparents

• Preparing to use a memory journal

• Recording family stories before they are forgotten

• Asking better questions during visits or family gatherings

Download the Resource →

If your family history feels scattered, begin with the simplest step.

Write down the people you know.

Then add the relationships you are sure of.

Then record the stories, photographs and sources that help explain who those people were.

You do not need to preserve everything at once. A family archive grows one careful note at a time.

Browse our articles on preserving family stories →

Heritage Grove is gradually building a small library of practical tools for families who want to preserve their history with care.

Future resources may include family interview guides, photograph checklists, family timeline templates and memory prompts.

For now, begin with the resource that fits your family best.