During the spring semester of 2014, students in the Digital History 419 class began a project that will hopefully bring to life the lives of those buried at the St. Bonaventure cemetery.
Led by Dr. Philip Payne of the History Department and Dennis Frank of the St. Bonaventure University Archives, students were given grave sites with the goal of compiling research and eventually building a "living obituary" for those buried in the assigned plots. Though the form was obviously much different than the standard history paper, all of the elements in a typical research project needed to be utilized nonetheless. Spending a fairly extensive amount of time in the archives familiarizing oneself with the people assigned, scanning items of note, and visiting the plots themselves were all necessary in creating the individual digital plots.
The process has led, after a few bumps in the road and the need for a few "audibles," to the current compilation on Google Maps. As one can see, the digital points are all assembled at the cemetery where the individual graves are located. Clicking on a point will bring up a brief synopsis of the individual and their life. For a few people, there is a link that will take the viewer through important places in that person's life or to a web page with more information. The points that are, at this time, available to the viewer are located in alphabetical order on the right-hand side. More plots will be added over time, as will more "individual maps."
This is still a work in progress, but on behalf of the SBU Archives and the Digital History 419 class, we hope you find this both a helpful resource and a new way to experience the lives of friends, family, teachers and mentors.
Click here for a link to the St. Bonaventure Cemetery Project.