[MassHistPres] Form Bs on line

[Lee Wright]

Several have, Judith.

Here in Marlborough, another volunteer from the historical society board and I put ours online in 2008.  We spent roughly $50 or so for a piece of software and did it all ourselves.  It was straightforward--neither of us have any software development skills-- and is explained in detail at the bottom of this page: http://historicmarlborough.org/Creating_this_site.html.

= Narrative: http://historicmarlborough.org/Architecture.html

= Detailed listing: http://historicmarlborough.org/Property_Survey.html

(We also uploaded them to the free document publishing site Scribd, which makes them more widely available and allows anyone to embed them in their site.)

As you can see, it's very rudimentary, but it was cheap and easy.  And since we've had it online for the last four years or so, it's become one of the largest traffic drivers to our site.  

However, compared to what's been possible for the last many years and to what people expect, it's far from ideal.  Among other things, theres is no linking within or between documents, no automated mapping, which could incorporate StreetView, for example, and no web-based platform for updating the information.  As a result, we have legal documents online, not engagement with our community's historic buildings.  The information is outdated as soon as it's collected and is never updated until, typically, decades have passed.

Here are two innovative approaches that address different aspects of these shortcomings:

- http://www.placeography.org -- From the Minnesota Historical Society.  

- http://www.whatwasthere.com/ -- A free site that makes it easy to upload a photo of any location and compare that photo to the present StreetView photo.


I also believe that the state has been scanning them, but can't find them online.  Perhaps someone else from the list can supply the URL.

Good luck with your project--

Lee 

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Lee Wright  | |  Marlborough, MA




On Apr 3, 2012, at 10:15 AM, Judith Lund wrote:

> The Town of Dartmouth is beginning to put its Form Bs, funded by CPC, on line on the town website for our citizens to see.  We are wondering if any other towns have done this.
> Judy Lund, Acting Chair, Dartmouth Historical Commission.
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