Write ups

[+ripraff]

Since most of the way marks are found, I don't usually know much about them before I start using Google. Some places never get way marked because there is NOTHING out there that I can find. There are churches that look old, but they have no webpage. Usually about all you can find is an address. If they are a big denomination the group, say Methodists have an online directory which has address and name of minister. Only some even give you service time. If they say community church for instance, you don't know if they are currently a known denomination or even if they are still active. Some towns have online histories where they list different churches and when they were built. It is still hard to distinguish between first building and current building.

 

Topics like bridges I rely on a couple sites that list information, but that is all I know. It they don't list, I generally don't waymark.

 

Some places actually do turn up interesting threads that produce stories that a fun to get into.

 

Sometimes the amount of writeup is due to how tired I am, are we on a trip and I want to get down to breakfast, but I want to keep the streak going.

Usually if I am asked to do more, I give Google another shot and try to think of ways I can get something related, even if not directly. Or I wait until I have more energy and can spend more time hunting down something.

 

I interested in photos, but I still try to write something.

I have had some reviewers suggest databases that have proved useful (New York has National Historic sites on a database including contributing buildings to historic districts). Without this database many sites would not have been way marked.

 

I realize that way marks can be rejected, if they don't please the reviewer, but please give ideas to help with the research or explain what you think I can find and maybe how.

[+T0SHEA]

Churches, for example, can be a bugaboo. I spend hours each week researching churches that we have pix of and little or no info. But I keep plugging and eventually a sentence or a paragraph will emerge. One needs to be aware of the town, county, municipal websites for the area in question, as well as the museums and historical societies. State and national databases will sometimes reveal a hidden gem. Old books that are now in the public domain have been an excellent source of information for us. Try The Online Books Page, Archive Org Texts, American Guide Series, etc. If a quick search doesn't turn up a church (or parish) website, I immediately turn to a more oblique approach.

 

For bridges, I probably use the same sources as you, but if there's no info available I still post a bridge. I'm not going to pass up a truss, arch, suspension, RR bridge, etc. for the lack of technical info. Just describe it as best you can.

 

For historic buildings in the US, start with the National Register page. If you find your building/site, copy the ID number and plug it into one of these URLs, replacing the XXX with the ID number:

 

http://npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/XXX.pdf

https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/XXX.htm

 

This will catch any that have been digitized, which is most of them. The first one is the more likely.

 

Alna Meetinghouse (added 1970 - - #70000079) As an example, in the text to the left, from Historic Places, the ID number is 70000079.

 

Also, NEVER forget to look for cornerstones and other plaques. Try the door, too. Sometimes a country church will be open, allowing one to add things like guest books, memorials of all types, stained glass, pipe organs and stone church artefacts.

 

"Some places actually do turn up interesting threads that produce stories that a[re] fun to get into."

This is one downside to extensive research. It's incredibly easy to get sidetracked by interesting things one stumbles upon.

Edited August 26, 2016 by BK-Hunters

[+elyob]

Go to the library. Even if you're not spoiled like me (I'm at a national library everyday), if you have enough time for your waymark creation you can bring in useful material to your local library from all over the world using interlibrary loan. Even in 2016, more than 90% of research material is still OFF line. Go to the library.

Edited August 26, 2016 by elyob

[+T0SHEA]

Even in 2016, more than 90% of research material is still OFF line. Go to the library.

 

The 10% that is online seems to me to be inordinately useful, particularly in terms of results per hour. I like the "Go to the library" suggestion, but it has only proven to be useful here in a small number of cases. It reminds me of yet another useful search method, that of searching for a relevant book title at Amazon, Abe Books, etc. Find a book, then find a library that has it and will loan to your library. Heck, we've even bought books that were able to provide us with another WM or two.

[+fi67]

And don't forget the humans. You know, these two-legged creatures that always tend to walk into the picture in the wrong moment. Sometimes locals have informations you do not find anywhere else, or they can open new doors by dropping names you didn't know before but might be helpful for the next steps.

 

When you really do not find anything, ask yourself. You have been there, didn't you? Describe the location, the building, the surrounding, how to get there! In the end, this is more valuable than copying something that was available before, because you add something new, not only to Waymarking, but to global knowledge.

[+T0SHEA]

Describe the location, the building, the surrounding, how to get there! In the end, this is more valuable than copying something that was available before, because you add something new, not only to Waymarking, but to global knowledge.

 

This is my A #1 go-to backup methodology. When all else has failed, tell the folks about everything between the rubblestone foundation and the weird weathervane.

 

"And don't forget the humans."

 

We do this at every opportunity. When talking to the locals has provided the necessary info, we need not look for more, just do the write up. Seldom, however, does local lore alone fill in sufficient blanks.

[+MountainWoods]

One of the big problems I've repeatedly encountered when doing research on the web is the bias of the search engines. For example, if I type in:

 

History of Such-and-so Church

 

The first 8 or 10 pages of results will be: Where it is located; How to get there; Hotels near Such-and-so Church; The weather at Such-and-so Church; and on and on.

 

Note that I deliberately typed History as the first word because, supposedly, that is supposed to bias the search toward that word. But the first 8 or 10 pages have nothing to do with history at all. IF there is eventually some useful information, it might be buried in those useless where/what/how sites.

 

Also, another problem is that there are a lot of paid sites where you have to be a member to get any information at all. If it boiled down to just one or two sites it might be worth it. But one cannot spend one's entire yearly budget for registering on all of the sites necessary to do research!

[+T0SHEA]

Also, another problem is that there are a lot of paid sites where you have to be a member to get any information at all. If it boiled down to just one or two sites it might be worth it. But one cannot spend one's entire yearly budget for registering on all of the sites necessary to do research!

 

I don't recall ever having found anything of use on a "paid advertising" site. After years of searching I've come to know all the sites to ignore, shortening search times immeasurably. And yes, sometimes the gem will be found on page 10. Generally, though, before I get that far I will have changed tactics.

Edited August 28, 2016 by BK-Hunters

[+ripraff]

It is a little annoying when a reviewer adds something not usually required. The way marks are generally gathered by traveling some distance. If the photos do not contain the necessary information, a return trip may be required (or the waymark is left in a rejected state.).

[+T0SHEA]

It is a little annoying when a reviewer adds something not usually required. The way marks are generally gathered by traveling some distance. If the photos do not contain the necessary information, a return trip may be required (or the waymark is left in a rejected state.).

 

Been there, done that, so I can empathize. We have a couple of these which will, in all likelihood, never, ever be finished. Sob, sob...