Need help starting a category

[Captain Chaoss]

I just recently became a Premium Member. I want to start a category for all the city plaques / markers around my hometown. Is there already a category for this that I havent found ? If not, what is the procedure for starting one ?

 

Thank you for the help.

[+Max and 99]

I assume since you've visited many PA Historical Markers that the plaques you refer to don't fit in that category?

[+fi67]

Local categories have no chance to be accepted by the voting community. Better find something else!

 

Back to your general question: The steps are described in the FAQs. You have to create a Group. Then you need some officers, a group with three officers can start a category. When the work is done, the category goes to the primary vote (you and your officers), 100% Yea is needed. Finally you can send the category to Peer Review, here you need 66% Yea and this is gonna be tough.

 

Some things the FAQs do not mention are important. Get a good crew, some helpful but unexperienced geocaching friends will not be appreciated in peer review. You need active, experienced waymarkers with a certain reputation.

Go the forum with your idea, you've done that; this was a good idea. I don't remember exactly but it's been a looong time since the last new category made it without going to the forum.

Don't refer to other categories. Your idea has to stay on its own. Many existing category would not make it anymore if it was new today. You have to work hard at your proposal and a concise wording. Some of the newer categories read like legal texts, the easy days of category creation are definitively over.

 

I don't want to frighten you away from creating a category, there are still many viable ideas around, but it is not that easy. There is no guarantee for success.

[+lumbricus]

Local categories have no chance to be accepted by the voting community. Better find something else!

 

Back to your general question: The steps are described in the FAQs. You have to create a Group. Then you need some officers, a group with three officers can start a category. When the work is done, the category goes to the primary vote (you and your officers), 100% Yea is needed. Finally you can send the category to Peer Review, here you need 66% Yea and this is gonna be tough.

 

Some things the FAQs do not mention are important. Get a good crew, some helpful but unexperienced geocaching friends will not be appreciated in peer review. You need active, experienced waymarkers with a certain reputation.

Go the forum with your idea, you've done that; this was a good idea. I don't remember exactly but it's been a looong time since the last new category made it without going to the forum.

Don't refer to other categories. Your idea has to stay on its own. Many existing category would not make it anymore if it was new today. You have to work hard at your proposal and a concise wording. Some of the newer categories read like legal texts, the easy days of category creation are definitively over.

 

I don't want to frighten you away from creating a category, there are still many viable ideas around, but it is not that easy. There is no guarantee for success.

 

Well written!

[+BruceS]

I want to start a category for all the city plaques / markers around my hometown. Is there already a category for this that I havent found ?

 

I know the PA historical marker category will not accept the city plaques and makers as it only accepts official PA historical markers however the category Signs of History might be what you are looking for.

[Captain Chaoss]

I want to start a category for all the city plaques / markers around my hometown. Is there already a category for this that I havent found ?

 

I know the PA historical marker category will not accept the city plaques and makers as it only accepts official PA historical markers however the category Signs of History might be what you are looking for.

 

Thanks for all the helpful replies. My town has many plaques the same size & construction as the state ones, but are CITY sponsored, not STATE as BruceS surmised. I really want to get these waymarked, as they really paint an interesting picture of Meadvilles early history. I envision a sort of walking trail thru town with historical society photos on each waymark.

 

I am just not sure what route to take to accomplish this. Not to be insulting - I love waymarks, but the sight seems kind of "forgotten'" by Groundspeak. Kind of the bone thrown in the corner so the dog leaves them alone. Come on, if anything could use a mobil app, its Waymarking !

[+BruceS]

There are a couple ways you could waymark those city markers. First you could list them in the Signs of History category. You could also construct a tour of your city using the signs as stop points and submit your tour in the Waymark Tours (WayTours) category. You could do it either way or both if you desire.

[+silverquill]

Almost any plaque can find a category to call home at this point.

 

As suggested, the "Signs of History" category is almost a catch-all for those that don't qualify for other categories.

 

Then, if there is something actually at the place where the plaque is, then it probably has a category - historic buildings, statues, etc. That would be the primary category to look for, with the plaque included in a supporting role.

 

Categories confined to a local area all almost certain to be rejected. State Historical Markers are one of the few exceptions to this. And, it varies from state to state since some categories will accept ONLY official state markers while others have been written to accept regional, local, or even private markers. Wish it were more consistent, but the way Waymarking.com was set up allowed for each category to establish its own guidelines.

 

In regard to your other comment - well, we enjoy our bone! There's a lot of meat on it. And, Groundspeak is well aware that an API would be highly beneficial and it is at least high on their own wish list. Thant and pocket queries would give us a huge boost, I think! In the meantime, we've got plenty to work on.

 

So, welcome! I hope you'll take the time to visit some waymarks in your area, explore some of the 1,000+ existing categories and create some waymarks for them. I'm sure you'll find some interesting things to explore through Waymarking.

[+uccacher]

I know the signs that you're referring to Captain (like the one outside the Market House) and I'm pretty sure that if you submit them to the Signs of History category they will pass without any problem.

[Captain Chaoss]

BruceS - I really like that suggetsion of a Waymark Tour. I had missed that option. You and Silverquill also made a great point with historical building category.Those ideas certainly sound more reasonable in view of the described hardships in building a "local" category.

 

Uccacher - yep, the market house sign is a perfect example of what the town has to show. Much of chestnut street also has informative plaques regarding many of the buildings still in existence.

 

Thank you to all with such helpful info.

[+flipflopnick]

Addition to FAQ

Once the group leader has 2 other officers, do not promote anyone else to officer status until your proposal has passed Peer Review.

Once passed and approved, then promote everyone to approve submissions, send group emails and edit the category.

This makes life easier during birth of new Category and ensures longevity once visible.