Preservation Achievement Awards 2024: Amherst Heritage Commission's ‘From Bookshelves to the Public’ Project
The Amherst Heritage Commission created three custom online apps to encourage appreciation and preservation of Amherst’s rich heritage. They contracted with the Nashua Regional Planning Commission and were funded by the NH Division of Historical Resources Certified Local Government grant.
The ambitious project integrated existing historical resources inventories, new field work, scans of historic maps, and other live data such as the historic bridges layer from NH DOT, NHDES's Stonewall Survey Inventory and other GIS related apps. Will Ludt, Amherst Heritage Commission chair, said that “One Team-One Fight” was the Commission’s mantra as they moved their history and heritage out of the closets, file cabinets and shelfs into a 21st Century on-line access for the public.
The first App is an up-to-date Heritage Map Explorer primarily for use by the Amherst Heritage Commission and other researchers. This is where you find Digitized Amherst Historic Survey data, Stonewalls, Public Trails, Locally Designated Scenic Roads and Setbacks, Conserved Lands, and much more.
App 2 is a cell-phone friendly Points of Interest application that uses “pins on the map” to provide a short narrative, picture, and driving directions to historic homes, cemeteries, Guidepost and Mile Markers and much more. App 3 is an ESRI story map that paints a chronological picture of the Town’s history by major time- period using timelines, photos, and historic maps.
Amherst resident Taylor Hardner incorporated the new data into the Heritage Commission’s web site during her senior year of high school. Outreach included two meetings and a webinar, and direct contacts with students to explain the apps and encourage their use. Participant feedback led to another joint effort to incorporate parcel and owner information through the MapGeo application managed by NRPC. The Preservation Alliance hopes this project will inspire others.
Hardner says she got involved because of a challenge to complete 100 community service hours in one year and previous web-based help for the Town conservation commission. She said “I really love working with people, and this project helped me get to know more members of my community, which I hold at great value…I always find it inspiring to see people pursuing something they are passionate about.”
“ONE TEAM ONE FIGHT” – This is the theme that the Amherst Heritage Commission adopted in its journey …in moving our history and heritage out of the closets, file cabinets and shelfs into a 21st Century on-line access for the public.”
Learn more about this year’s Award winners here. If you have a re-use profile to share, let us know!