The understanding and organization of the past provides us with an important sense of our own selves, our identity and place in society. This is true no matter what the scale of the community or how intimate the personal relationship. Nations, countries, provinces, cities, towns, communities, families and individuals all rely on, re-enforce, and inform one another of cultural norms and their historical development. The mingling of varied experiences ensures the stability and continuity that shapes our culture and civilization. The importance of the family cannot be underestimated in any attempt to understand the past and how it has informed the present. Exploring one’s family history is a fun and accessible way to “touch and feel” the past in an intimate and immediately relevant manner. Using the Wyatt family of Summerside as a touchstone, they can explore their own families, as well as their town’s history. The historical distance of the Wyatt Family makes them an accessible marker for students to utilize when identifying the past. The Wyatt’s example serves well as a basis for contrast and comparison with the present. The following exercises have these factors in mind and seek to build upon one another, helping students to develop a multi-faceted sense of the history of their own families and community.