The Mystery Girl, Elise McKenna, is a Louisville-based genealogist and research historian specializing in microhistories. She takes genealogy to a new level, bringing the leaves on a family tree to life and filling in the spaces between the branches with historical context and biographical details about the people themselves. Going beyond the names, dates, and relationships that are central to standard genealogical practice, Elise focuses her work on examining family correspondence, newspaper articles, legal documents, and any other available resources to give her clients a personalized microhistory for their ancestors or subjects of interest. As a naturally creative person, she works with clients to craft customized presentation methods for each project and has experimented with a variety of mediums, often creating charts from scratch to illustrate specific connections.

Elise is currently involved in several major research projects, including work for Blackacre Nature Preserve to identify the locations of slave burial grounds on the property. You can find more information about Elise’s previous projects and ongoing work here.

Think you have a mystery for Elise? Fill out a research request!