PhilaPlace integrates history with location through an interface that makes examining historical information by location straightforward.
The site was launched on December 9, 2009 and updated March 29, 2010 as described in this announcement (emphasis added):
On the PhilaPlace “Map” page at PhilaPlace.org, visitors can click on the new “Streets” tab and view enhanced historical maps that reveal in-depth patterns of change over time for specific blocks in South Philadelphia and Northern Liberties neighborhoods. Land-use and census data recreate details and activities on a street, house by house, business by business . . .
A screen from PhilaPlace.org
“Through visual representations overlaid on the contemporary and historic maps, visitors can see with a glance how key areas at certain points in time changed in terms of ethnic make-up, land use, and occupation,” explained Joan Saverino, PhilaPlace project director.
The maps were produced by one of PhilaPlace’s key partners, Amy Hillier, Assistant Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania, and undergraduate and graduate students who worked under her supervision. . . .
The site weaves stories shared by ordinary people of all backgrounds with historical records to present an interpretive picture that captures the rich history, cultures, and architecture of our neighborhoods – past and present. The site uses a multimedia format, including interactive maps (both contemporary and historic), text, photographs, and audio and video clips. PhilaPlace features approximately 200 neighborhood stories told through text, audio and video. Visitors to the site can contribute new content on an ongoing basis and have the ability to map their own stories in place and time. The site also includes K-12 lesson plans for teachers. More than a Web site, PhilaPlace engages diverse communities through local programs, teacher workshops, trolley tours, exhibits, and printed neighborhood guides.
The project is a collaborative endeavor undertaken by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in partnership with the City of Philadelphia Department of Records, the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, other institutions and community organizations, and members of the community who share their personal stories.
Observations
- Google Maps is incorporated nicely; users can move the map around in the window on the Map page.
- The graphic design of the UI uses a scrapbook as a metaphor. Although their implementation is certainly attractive, using the metaphor of a physical object, especially a book, as an interface for a web site was abandoned long ago for contemporary, web-centric initiatives. Perhaps those whose career has centered around artifacts are more comfortable with a physical metaphor, but doing so throughout the site reduces the area of the page, both at the top and sides, that can be used for meaningful content, creating additional work for the user.
- Users can contribute their own stories to the site, however it appears that they can not comment on or add (pictures, text, links, tags, or comments) to the information already there.
- Contributed stories are limited to 600 words. There is no technical or cost reason for this limit. With the right interface, it should be easy for readers to browse and select stories of any length.
- Resources for teachers and students of all grade levels are provided.
- Information is also available in the form of printed city neighborhood guides.
- Several organizations, at the community, city, and state levels came together in order to create this site.
Opportunities
- Enabling users to contribute to content that has been posted by the site administrators would make the experience much richer and would bring to life one of the basic themes of the site: The role of each individual and neighborhood in creating a vibrant city, rich in history.
- Making this experience mobile through a location-aware application will help deliver the content to more people, making it possible to hear and see the historical information about a neighborhood as you walk down the streets of the neighborhood.
2 Comments
I presented with the PhilaPlace folks at the NCPH conference last year, before the website went live. Thanks for the reminder to check it out! Pretty neat! I’m going to have to find a photo or two from my high school days hanging out on South Street to submit!
As the now (former, due to budget cuts) project director of PhilaPlace, thanks for this posting. The author’s comment about scrapbook as metaphor for Web site architecture is well taken. We didn’t get everything we’d hoped with the web design. When we wrote the grant apps which funded this project, we proposed to work with a commercial designer. Given that, they told us what they could and could not do. For instance, we wanted tagging etc. and they said no, not within budget. If I had it to do all over again, I’d prefer to work with a university team if possible. Also in the years between when we wrote the grants and actually began the design of the site, mobile device capabilities changed dramatically. We wanted to deliver tours vial cell phone, but in 2006 the cost was prohibitive. Nontheless, we produced a great site we think and it won honorable mention at Museums & the Web conference in 2010 in the Exhibitions category.