Historical Markers Group Contract
Digital History 471C3 – Dr. Jeffrey McClurken
Historical Markers Project
Group Members
Sarah Eye
Ryan Montgomery
Mike Powers
Lindsey Smith
Mission Statement
This group will redesign the previous historical markers website for the sixty-two historical highway markers found in Fredericksburg city and Spotsylvania and Stafford counties. We aim to create a more user friendly website with a more aesthetic design. In addition to redesigning the previous website, we will also be adding the fifty-three historical highway markers found in Williamsburg city and James and York counties. Each historical marker will have its own page that will include a description of the event, person, or place on the marker accompanied by appropriate images for that marker. The description will also include what is currently on the marker and will identify important people, dates, and the significance.
While we will be pulling and double-checking the information from the previous historical markers website, we will be doing a lot of research on what the new markers are commemorating. Each marker pulled from the previous page will include a link to the previous website and give credit to its original researchers. Furthermore, the new markers will have a full bibliography of a minimum of three, recommended five, reputable academic sources with links to the websites already devoted to the subject. A link to the FredMarkers website as well as the Department of Historical Resources highway markers page will be included on each page, along with links to related markers and categories. In the end, we will be combining the two websites and information into one well designed, organized and aesthetically pleasing website – the new website will include the FredMarkers’ research credited to its writers as well as rigorously researched explanations for the new markers.
Division of Labor
For this project, we have decided to not only revamp the original site dedicated to the historical markers, but we have decided to expand the site as well. Instead of staying with the area of Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania, we have decided to expand our research to the historic triangle of Virginia: Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. Because this amount of new research significantly increases our workload, it is important that the workload is divided as evenly as possible. Each individual group member will be responsible for their own section of research, along with accompanying photographs of the corresponding people, places and markers, as well as a bibliography of each source or site that is used. From there, Lindsey will be responsible for compiling each group member’s bibliography in to one main bibliography, along with checking for correct citations and proper format. Lindsey will also be the designated photographer of the group and she will be taking pictures of each historical marker that the group will be researching. Ryan will be responsible for creating the timeline of events to correspond with each historical marker and Sarah will be responsible for creating a Google Map to show the geographical location of each historical marker that is researched.
For our site, we have decided to utilize the WordPress platform to create the most aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly site. Based on a brief assessment of technological knowledge and skills, Mike has been designated as creating the main site for the group. However, each group member will be responsible for creating their own pages for their individual research. We have also decided to include a brief biography of each group member, which each group member will be responsible for as well. Because one of the main focuses of this project is to re-design the existing FredMarkers site, we will also create a virtual exhibit to group certain markers together according to time period and location. All group members will read another group member’s research to proofread for grammar, spelling, style and other corrections. Furthermore, each group member is responsible for finding the images pertaining to their particular markers and confirm that they are compliant to the copyright laws by using Flickr with creative commons or using other reputable sources such as the Library of Congress.
Division of Markers
Lindsey’s Markers – 13 Markers
Pocahontas: January 01, 1597
Sir William Berkeley: January 01, 1605
Jamestown: May 14th, 1607
Jamestown Road: January 01, 1608
First Germans at Jamestown: October 01, 1608
First Poles Arrive: October 01, 1608
Paspahegh Indians: August 01, 1610
Wowinchapuncke: February 01, 1611
Blockhouses near Jamestown: March 29, 1610
Governor’s Land: January 01, 1618
York County: January 01, 1634
Patrick Napier, Colonial Surgeon: January 01, 1634
White Hall Tavern: January 01, 1800
Mike’s Markers – 13 Markers
First Africans in English America: August 01, 1619
Martin’s Hundred: January 01, 1620
Martin’s Hundred Church: January 01, 1621
Littletown: January 01, 1630
James City County: January 01, 1634
James City County II: January 01, 1634
Green Spring: January 01,1642
Green Spring Road: January 01, 1642
Quarterpath Road: January 01, 1655
New Kent Road: January 01, 1720
Indian School at the College of William and Mary: January 01, 1697
First Williamsburg Gaol Inmates: May 03, 1704
First Balloon Flight in Virginia: May 07, 1801
Ryan’s Markers – 13 Markers
Carter’s Grove: January 01, 1722
Kingsmill: January 01, 1735
Hickory Neck Church: January 01, 1740
Church of the Main: January 01, 1755
Eastern State Hospital: October 12, 1733
Burnt Ordinary: January 01, 1708
Six-Mile Ordinary: April 21, 1781
State Shipyard: April 21, 1781
Spencer’s Ordinary: June 24th, 1781
Battle of Green Spring: July 06, 1781
Charles Church: January 01, 1636
Seaford: January 01, 1636
Goodwin Neck: August 27, 1668
Sarah’s Markers – 14 Markers
Chickahominy Church: July 06, 1781
Trebell’s Landing: September 01, 1781
Hot Water/ Centerville: January 01, 1803
Olive Branch Christian Church: January 01, 1833
Peninsula Campaign: May 03, 1862
Battle of Williamsburg: May 05, 1862
Magruder’s Defenses: May 05, 1862
Community of Grove: November 01, 1865
Samuel H. Younge, Civil Engineer (1843-1935): January 01, 1901
The Theft Case of Mary Aggie: January 01, 1730
Vineyard Tract: January 01, 1769
Whitaker’s House: May 05, 1862
Aviation Field Yorktown: July 01, 1919
Tools
The tools used to create this site will be WordPress, Simile, and Google Maps. There is a possibility that Google Analytics will also be used in order to track the traffic of the site. These tools will enable our group to create an organized, working website with a timeline and map as additional ways to organize the information. The website for the page has already been created at http://sevamarkers.umwblogs.org/. This will be the home page for the markers of Yorktown, James County, and Williamsburg. There will then be links to both the links of individual pages, the other website (http://fredmarkers.umwblogs.org/), information about our group, and a link to the Simile timeline. If possible, the two pages will be combined into one large historical marker site containing the information from both of the different Digital History courses working on the same project.
The Simile timeline will use both the description and date provided by the marker, as well as the date from the extended research. There will also be a way to filter the content, by way of county, date, and other possible tags. Each point on the timeline will link to the WordPress page as well. The Google Map will also do the same thing if possible, or will at least display the geographic locations of each historical marker. This will be done by embedding the maps into each post of the specific historical marker and having a compiled collection of all markers from the website on a single map. The maps will enable further reading and analysis on the history that the marker represents.
Schedule of Milestones
Tuesday, Feb. 14 – Group Meeting and discussion of contract.
Thursday, Feb. 16 – Each group member has at least 2 of their markers researched and put onto Google doc.
Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Each group member has minimum of 4 (but aim for 6) of their markers researched and put onto Google doc.
Thursday, Feb. 23 – Each group member has minimum of 6 (but aim for 7) of their markers researched onto Google doc and presents progress to class. Mike will have the skeleton of our WordPress site and start pulling extended research on the historical markers into the site.
Tuesday, Feb. 28 – Minimum of 9 (but aim for 10) of their markers researched and located in Google doc for proofreading. Group Meeting. Each member start finding images for the markers, if not already done so.
Thursday, Mar. 1 – Minimum of 11 (but aim for 12) markers. Progress Report
Tuesday, Mar. 13 – All of our markers researched. 75% markers pulled onto website, and Ryan begins timeline. Mike meets with Jim Groom about combining the new and old website. Individual bibliographies sent to Lindsey.
Thursday, Mar. 15 – All predetermined markers (Yorktown, James City County, Williamsburg) pulled onto the website. Present Progress. Edit pages (grammar, tags, spelling, content).
Tuesday, Mar. 20 – Group Meeting. Sarah works on map; Lindsey works on final bibliography; Mike works on Website. Ryan works on timeline.
Thursday,Mar. 22 – Progress reports. Rough draft bibliography finished. SEVAmarkers site finished. Begin combined website skeleton (vahmarkers.wordpress.org)
Tuesday, Mar. 27 – At least half of the markers from old site is on the new one.
Friday, Mar. 30 – All markers from old site is on the new site by midnight. Group members check over pages for errors. Present Progress.
Tuesday, Apr. 3 – Group Meeting. Edit pages. Group members read over final bibliography for errors and edit. Have all images ready by this date! Timeline completed. Google Map completed.
Thursday, Apr. 5 – Progress Report. Pages edit. VAHmarkers website finished.
Tuesday, Apr. 10 – Timeline and bibliography polished by 9:00 a.m. Show website to McClurken for revisions on website, bibliography, and timeline.
Thursday, Apr. 12 – Progress report. Polish website and pages as per McClurken’s suggestions.
Tuesday, Apr. 17 – Fully polished pages ready. Group Meeting.
Thursday, Apr. 19 – Progress report. One last looksie. HIGH FIVES.
Tuesday, Apr. 24 – Projects Due.