Looking up info on passed relatives doesn't have to be a grave undertaking.
Above: Forest Hill Cemetery in Eau Claire

Walking through the cemeteries of Eau Claire, you’re likely to find more than a few headstones with ties to the area's history ("Hey, look! That one says Leinenkugel!"), but now thanks to the City of Eau Claire, information about the residents of our cemeteries is all online.

Lakeview and Forest Hill Cemeteries in Eau Claire have just finished moving all their burial records online, allowing locals to access the past with a simple search. In addition to finding ancestors online, residents are encouraged to add information or pictures to the deceased’s profiles. Through these contributions, the city hopes to preserve and enhance the history of the area.

While some aspects of the new record system (such as the condolences section) don’t offer the emotional pick-me-up we all need now and again, the online documentation can offer a fun an interesting way to pass some time. Maybe one of your long lost ancestors was a crafty beer runner during prohibition, or they could have been the Chippewa Valley’s version of Elliot Ness. For all you know,  you could be a descendent of the first settler to fish in the Chippewa River, or the owner of the first toilet in Eau Claire.

The only way to know for sure is to check the records.