Many genealogists have tried to solve some of the mysteries in their family history and come up against “brick walls.” Rick Allen will present “The One-Word Key to Solving Most Brick Wall Problems” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists online on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Whitney Senior Center (1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud). The presentation will be available remotely and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests.

The owner of Backstory Bloodhound, LLC (www.backstorybloodhound.com), Rick Allen conducts on-site genealogical research at facilities in Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and Southeast Missouri. He loves to bust through those brick walls and, though he is proficient with online resources, he still believes on-the-ground research in courthouses, archives and libraries is often the best way to make those breakthroughs. Retired from the health insurance industry, Rick taught history at the university level and was editor of the Saga of Southern Illinois for seven years. He is currently a director of the Illinois State Genealogical Society and treasurer for a local historical society. Rick has been researching his personal family history since he was a teenager and has published several family history and genealogical records books.