A friend offered some constructive criticism recently. She explained that the GeorgetownSteamboats site was so large that she did not know how to approach it.
I agree. The site is huge, and growing. It is divided into blog posts and static pages and images:
(1) Posts 181 == 32,298 words
(2) Pages 145 == 107,082 words
(3) Images 648
The total word count is not current yet easily matches an average sized novel – without images! I have more work in progress. Currently I am working on the Georgetown Cemetery list by analyzing three different sources : findagrave, the genealogypitstop, and an inherited hand written list. I am also working on additional CivWar150 posts. Seven more trips to the National Archives will complete my port of Pittsburgh steamboat registrations review. And I have a wish to visit, Cincinnati, St Louis, and Ft Benton historical societies, museums, and libraries. Only 22 of more than 100 identified to date steamboat biographies have been researched and put to Word. The percentage for steamboat owner and captain biographies is about equal to the steamboats. Where is Ken Burns when you need him?
The comment forced me to consider developing an outline for users. I have three classes of readers. One class is interested in Poe genealogy; another group prefers general steamboat and Ohio River history; and the Russians who we will exclude from consideration. The history of Georgetown and its local area stories fit into the Poe genealogy class.
So here it is. Analysis of the most frequently visited pages and posts provided by the POWWEB visitor stats mapped into my faves produced the following two lists of top ten pages and posts for my two classes of users.
The popularity of The Point of Beginning amazes me. It is the fourth most view page in the past twelve months.
In hand, I have two important original source documents: the Nancy Ann (Poe) Ebert journal and the hand written book by Benjamin M Laughlin (courtesy of the Frances and John Finley Collection). The Poe journal in a word is fascinating. The Laughlin book adds new information to the history of steamboats. A look at both will be time not wasted.
Again, I welcome your comments, criticisms, and corrections. An historian I am not. If information posted on GeorgetownSteamboats is incorrect, I appreciate having it brought to my attention for correction.
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