Members of the group: Peter Qian, Harry Xun, Chloe Xufeng, Hongmiao Jiang
Project Introduction: Carleton’s campus has transformed significantly over time, yet many of us walk past its buildings every day without knowing their histories. Our project aims to bridge this gap by creating an interactive campus map that overlays historical images onto current campus locations. Users will be able to zoom in on different spaces, and when they do, a historical photo of that building—viewed from their perspective—will appear. This will allow users to compare the present with the past, offering a glimpse into how Carleton has evolved.
Proposed Methodology:
Sources: We will gather historical images and information from Carleton College Archives (photographs, documents, maps)
Processes: First, scan and digitize archival images of campus buildings. Then, use GIS tools to geolocate these images accurately. Finally, develop a database that connects each building’s modern-day location with its historical images and descriptions.
Presentation: We will display our final product, which is a web-based interactive map hosted on our site.
Proposed Timeline:
Week 7: Project Pitch & Finalizing Research Plan
Week 8: Data Collection (archival images, location data) & Map Prototyping
Week 9: Coding & Interactive Features Implementation
Week 10: Final Testing, Publishing, and Presentation
Inspirational Precedents:
Bring the Past to Virtual Life (2018)
Personal Interest:
Chloe: I’m personally excited about this project because I love the idea of making history feel more tangible. Carleton’s campus has so many hidden stories, and this project allows us to bring them to life in a way that’s interactive and visually engaging. I hope that, beyond just being a cool tool, our map will spark curiosity among students and faculty—encouraging them to think more about the spaces they inhabit every day.
Harry: As a history enthusiast and a resident of Musser, I’m really excited about this project. There are so many stories on the Carleton campus that I had no idea about—like the fact that the designer of Musser also designed the World Trade Center in the U.S. I believe that gathering and sharing information about the campus and its architectural history—whether through writing, images, or other formats—can help strengthen Carleton’s community and deepen students’ sense of connection to the campus.
Peter: Speaking of historical changes, it is important for students on campus to learn about the past of their schools, because I believe building connection between past and present has the power to bring students closer to campus, which will be quite helpful when it comes to enhancing students’ sense of belonging. I hope through this project, students will not simply regard Carleton as a place to study, but a palace that holds four years of their memories.
Hongmiao: Creating a DH project to map the past of Carleton is a great idea. Many buildings on our campus, such as Laird Hall, have a rich history, yet few people take the time to explore their stories. Our project can introduce these histories to students and faculty, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the culture and heritage of our campus. Additionally, it can provide visual comparisons of how buildings looked before and after renovations, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of the campus over time.
3 thoughts on “Mapping Carleton’s Past”
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Team Mapping Carleton’s Past,
This idea has a lot of potential and I like how you all are thinking about overlaying historical images and physical locations. There are a number of directions you could go in here, but I suggest running with the idea of overlapping the present and the past via “a historical photo of that building—viewed from their perspective.”
There a lot of potential applications here. The 3D billboard approach taken by the Book of Fortresses project is one thing to think about. I’ve done a similar process with some 3D massing models and prints of the Boston Massacre here.
You could also consider creating viewsheds of the image locations as in the Battle of Gettysburg project we discussed, or this project which mapped and told stories of Ansel Adams photos of the Grand Canyon.
There is another group that has proposed a very similar project, so step 1 is to coordinate with them to make sure you all are doing distinct projects.
Oh, also, check out this exhibition that an Art History class put together last year for great content, but not organized on a map
Here is the lesson on StoryMaps at the top