Final_Project_Mary

Plan for Web Site

My Web site plans center on Winchester and Frederick County Virginia from 1940 to the present. I would like the site to be a model for a community history resource and archive. Two sites that will serve as models are the Wisconsin State site and the Brainerd Kansas site.

This site will include the following components in the site map. There would be topical and chronological pathways to the information.
Background
1700’s Historic highlights
1800’s Historic highlights
1900 – 1940’s Historic highlights
1940 – Present
Geography
Maps
The Valley
Statistics and Facts
Population
Timeline of Events
Political Life
Winchester
Government
Politics
Frederick County
Government
Politics
Economic
Agriculture
Business and Industry
Commerce
Downtown
Transportation
Social and Cultural
Religion
Education
Women
Minorities, Race, Ethnicity
Culture and the Arts
Architecture
Music
Noteworthy Citizens
Genealogy
Teachers
Elementary
High School
Students
Elementary
High School
Historic Sites
Memories
Historic News
Historic Events
Sponsors
Advertisements
Links

I would plan this as a phased multi year project probably into perpetuity.

Phase I would result in
Requirements Analysis - document deliverable to address hardware software and functionality requirements.
Project Plan - describe the phases.
Architecture - the short and long term hardware/software configuration
Design - variable but would address Phase I and II design in detail.
Prototype Development (Basic Hardware and Software Purchases, Development of Prototype, probably 2 main screens ( the full screen and a Phase II screen), overview of history of each area and some of the simpler areas would become available for use.

Phase II would be upgrading of hardware and software, digitizing, installing and uploading the archive. From here on system maintenance, user and operational support are necessary.

Phase III would be development of Teachers and Students area, and expansion of other areas.

Phase IV would be User Survey and new Requirements (possibly previous time periods).

Phase V would begin the cycle again.

I would like this project to use the best equipment. I tend to favor a database structure, a large server and excellent equipment for purposes of growth and expansion although I need guidance from Web development professionals in this area. If necessary, I would be willing to begin construction of the prototype on a shoestring budget but I would be concerned that I would be locked in to what I started with. It is usually harder to revise than to do it right the first time.

I would have several components that are not intended for professional historians but to gain public interest and support. There would be sections for teachers, students, genealogy buffs, a local historic events calendar, information about historic sites and a memory section where people can record their recollections.

A principal effort would be locating, arranging, digitizing and uploading archive material for this time period. Material at the Winchester Handley Library includes records of various institutions and organizations. I would also solicit the public for material including photographs.

Financial support would hopefully be a rich philanthropist with a no questions asked attitude. Barring that, I would seek government grants from federal, state and local governments, and from institutions and eleemosynary organizations of various kinds. There would be a Board of Advisors and ultimately this project’s ownership should be assumed by the Winchester Library or some similar institution. To begin the project, I would need a year’s salary for myself, a half-time technical expert and a half-time developer as well as equipment, workspace and the like.

Posted by MaryL at October 27, 2004 09:09 AM