Prompted by a recent press release, I just spent some time checking out a wonderful new Web site for genealogists with Arizona ancestors. Sponsored as a joint project of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona State Library and Archives, and the Mesa Family History Library, the new site offers free and instant access to more than 400,000 images of original Arizona birth and death certificates that state law has made public record.

"This powerful new tool provides professional genealogists and casual family tree researchers alike a new connection to Arizona’s past," Gov. Napolitano said. "This site enables them to save time and money when searching for their family roots."

By Arizona state law, birth certificates become public after 75 years, and death certificates become public after 50 years. So those tracing family roots now may search by name for Arizona birth certificates between 1887 and 1928, and Arizona death certificates between 1878 and 1953. The search features are fairly powerful, allowing you to simultaneously search both births and deaths with as little as two characters of the last name.

Catherine Eden, Department of Health Services Director, says the site will provide ongoing savings. Vital Records employees who formerly conducted manual searches for historical birth and death certificates will be freed up to more quickly process other public requests. Development of the site cost approximately $25,000 in money that had been earlier appropriated by the Arizona State Legislature.

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