behind AotW

I received this as a comment to another post, but thought I’d repackage here in case you don’t catch it elsewhere. If you are a blogger, please give the courtesy of your undivided attention:

October / 2006

We are interested in learning more about history blogs and in finding ways to promote them. To aid in this effort, we are circulating a small questionnaire and will make the results available in Tapera (in Spanish) and in Digital History Hacks (in English). If you wish to participate, please return the questionnaire to tapera@tapera.info
Thank you very much.

William Turkel – Digital History Hacks – http://digitalhistoryhacks.blogspot.com/
Nicolás Quiroga “ Tapera “ http://tapera.info

Blog:
URL:
Authors:
First post (mm/dd/Y):

Questions:
1. Which history-related blogs do you visit most frequently? (1-5)
2. What factors do you think are involved in your choice of blogs to read? (For example: quality of information, writing, institution, author profile, rankings, entertainment value¦)
3. What factors characterize your own blog? Which are most important?
4. Have you changed the objectives of your blog since you created it?

As I was exploring Mansfield Monument Road northeast of Sharpsburg, on the way to the upper bridge last Saturday, I passed two men, each in their own cars, stopped along the road facing the Battlefield. Looked like they were waiting for something.

I drove about 100 yards past, and stopped at the high ground on that stretch. The highest point before the land dives down a couple of more ridges to Antietam Creek about 1/2 mile east.

I got out, took my bearings–glad to see the wings of the eagle atop the New York State monument just poking over the trees about a mile and a half to the west–and tried to be William French. I looked at the map some more, put it away, and turned toward the bridge. Lost in my own, ancient place.

Who you following? a voice shouted up the road.

What? Not sure what I heard. I turned to see the two guys were striding up the hill toward me.

Following First Corps?

No, I yelled back, French’s Division, Second Corps.

I see that the home office has deployed a new standard web design for National Park sites. The Antietam National Battlefield (ANB) Park is among those with the new look. I’ve not found a formal announcement of the change by either the National Park Service (NPS) or the Park. Don’t know why not – the sites look good. This change seems to have been made between 27 July and 2 August this year. Thanks to Tom Shay for the alert on TalkAntietam.

ANBP homepage

I live in a glass house on the web, so it’s hardly wise to throw stones, but let me introduce you to the new site and how well I think it works. I’ll find an interested party at the Park to send this to, also. FWIW.

I’ve been hearing for at least three years now about a massive overhaul of the Battlefield website and contents. The current offering is no such animal. It’s more structural than content change.