Local & Family History Archiving

Help families and communities preserve and organize historical materials

Startup Cost
$4,000-$15,000
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time to Profit
6-12 months
Profit Potential
$7,000-$33,000/month

Overview

Family history archivists charge $50-$100 per hour or $500-$5,000 per project.

Completing 25-60 projects annually generates $80,000-$400,000 annually with 75-85% margins.

In 2025, Baby Boomers want to preserve family history before materials lost.

Services include family document organization, photo scanning and organization, oral history recording and transcription, family history book creation, archival storage setup, historical materials assessment, and legacy planning.

Successful family archivists understand preservation best practices, work sensitively with family materials, organize chronologically and thematically, create accessible digital archives, interview family members effectively, and deliver meaningful legacy projects.

Can serve families, small historical societies, church archives, and community groups.

Many projects multi-generational family history preservation.

Marketing through genealogy societies, estate planners, senior centers, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Required Skills

  • Archival Organization
  • Photo Scanning
  • Interviewing Skills
  • Digital Preservation
  • Customer Service
  • Project Management

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Meaningful work preserving family legacies
  • Growing market as Boomers age
  • Can work from home or client locations
  • Combine multiple services per project
  • Word-of-mouth referrals strong

Cons

  • Emotionally intensive work with families
  • Projects can take weeks or months
  • Price sensitivity from consumer market
  • Requires patience with elderly clients
  • Irregular project flow

How to Get Started

  1. Learn archival and preservation best practices
  2. Develop family history project methodology
  3. Create service packages and pricing
  4. Target families through genealogy groups
  5. Provide oral history and photo services
  6. Create family history books or digital archives
  7. Build referral network through satisfied clients

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