If it weren't for the census, I would not have been able to find details about our families who are long gone. I have sat in dark rooms looking at microfilm to find ancestors that way starting with the 1790 census. (husband's family). The census is a wonderful thing! And yes, what salsabike says is true, we get so many benefits from what they find out in the census! it's a way to keep track of who we are, and what we need; we americans.