<![CDATA[Keweenaw Time Traveler - Project News]]>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:41:55 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Copper Country Historical Images Spatial Image Catalog honored by ESRI]]>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:48:55 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/copper-country-historical-images-spatial-image-catalog-honored-by-esri
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The Copper Country Historical Images Spatial Image Catalog was featured in an ArcWatch Education profile this February. The article, written by Kimberly Hartley, celebrates the work of data-librarian and KeTT team member Bob Cowling in designing this new catalog along with his work creating the mobile version of the Keweenaw Time Traveler.  The full article can be found here: Michigan Technological University Puts Historical Photos in Their Place.
]]><![CDATA[Keweenaw Time Traveler and Community Deep Mapping Fellows present at the 50th Annual Social Science History Association's Annual Meeting]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 13:36:45 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/keweenaw-time-traveler-and-community-deep-mapping-fellows-present-at-the-50th-annual-social-science-history-associations-annual-meeting
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The Keweenaw Time Traveler team and the inaugural cohort of Community Deep Mapping Institute (CDMI) Fellows presented their work at the Annual Meeting of the SSHA took place November 20th - 23rd at the Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois. Two sessions with a total of 8 papers were presented Friday afternoon. These sessions ranged from Don Lafreniere's discussion of aims of the CDMI in his paper entitled 'NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute - Fostering the Next-Generation of Historical Geography and GIS Scholars', to new methodological approaches inspired by the CDMI, to presentations from 5 project teams in attendance. 
Other presentations by team members included; 'Mobile Digital Storytelling Impacts on Post-Industrial Landscape Perceptions' by Sarah Fayen Scarlett, James Juip, Bob Cowling, and Don Lafreniere, 'Community Resilience through GIS - Deep Mapping in Postindustrial Hamtramck' by Dan Trepal, Krysta Ryzewski, Don Lafreniere, and Bob Cowling, and 'A New Methodological Approach to Integrating Historical Photography into Historical Spatial Data Infrastructures' by James Juip, Bob Cowling, Sarah Fayen Scarlett, and Don Lafreniere.   
]]><![CDATA[Copper Country Historical Images Website wins State History Award]]>Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:07:42 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/copper-country-historical-images-website-wins-state-history-award
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The Historical Society of Michigan has awarded the State History Award in its Websites category to Keweenaw Time Traveler partners, the Michigan Tech Archives, for the Copper Country Historical Images Database (CCHI). The CCHI is a collaboration between the Michigan Tech Archives and the Van Pelt and Opie Library's Digital Scholarship initiative. The image database, designed by KeTT team member Bob Cowling, has evolved onto the open-source Drupal platform and integrates interactive map-based discovery tools with engaging metadata, moderated community-based comments, and commerce features that allow controlled access to the high-resolution imagery. The Keweenaw Time Traveler was awarded this honor in 2023.
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]]><![CDATA[KeTT presents at the Conference of the European Society of Historical Demography]]>Sat, 13 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/kett-presents-at-the-conference-of-the-european-society-of-historical-demography
Drs. Don Lafreniere and James Juip presented two papers at the 6th Conference of the European Society of Historical Demography. The conference took place at the Universita di Bologna, the oldest university in continuous operation in the world, from September 10th-13th. Discussion centered around the theme of minorities and majorities in historical populations. Both papers were presented in a session entitled 'Geospatial Approaches in Historical Demography'. The session started with 'Hazards in Children's Environments and their Impact on Social Mobility throughout Life-course', authored by James Juip and Don Lafreniere. This paper was followed by 'Modelling Neighborhoods for Historical Spatio-Demographic Analysis' authored by Don Lafreniere, James Townsend and James Juip. The session was rounded out by papers entitled 'Comparison of spatiotemporal evolution of infectious diseases in Belgium (1890-1950)', by Valentin Charlier, Thierry Eggerickx, Sophie O. Vanwambeke and 'The Lethal Grip of Heat: Mapping the Heat Wave - Mortality Nexus in Spain', by Dariya Ordanovich, Diego Ramiro, Aurelio Tobías, Ana Casanueva.
]]><![CDATA[NEH Community Deep Mapping Fellows Arrive in the Keweenaw!]]>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 13:43:48 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/neh-community-deep-mapping-fellows-arrive-in-the-keweenaw
The NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute (NEH CDMI) fellows have arrived in the Keweenaw for an intensive seven day in-person program focused on building community driven deep maps. Fellows have settled into the Laurium Manor Inn for the duration and can look forward to a plethora of fun Keweenaw adventures developed and supported by Keweenaw Time Traveler's community partners. Fellows explored downtown Calumet and Laurium with the Keweenaw National Historical Park staff, and can look forward to a visit to the Quincy Mine and Chassell Strawberry Festival along with a set of Deep Mapping workshops built my members of Michigan Technological University's Geospatial Research Facility.  The in-person program will wrap up with a tour of the Keweenaw Peninsula, culminating in a curated local dinner at the Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor.

These in-person workshops would not be possible without the hard work of Keweenaw community partners and the generous financial support from Michigan Technological University, North Dakota State University, the Canterbury Shaker Village and many anonymous donors.  
]]><![CDATA[KeTT Presents at the Michigan Historic Preservation Network's Annual Conference]]>Sun, 18 May 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/kett-presents-at-the-michigan-historic-preservation-networks-annual-conference
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The Michigan Historic Preservation Network's 45th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference took place at Lake Superior State University Thursday, May 15th through Saturday May 17th. The conference brought together historians, preservationists, architects, engineers, anthropologists, and archaeologists from around the state of Michigan invested in the process of historic preservation. Dr. Sarah Fayen-Scarlett shared a presentation co-authored by Dr. Juip, Mr. Cowling, and Dr. Lafreniere in the session  'Old Stories, New Tools: Engaging New Audiences through Digital Storytelling'. The talk centered around the value of using the Keweenaw Time Traveler as a unique tool for engaging members of the public in heritage making through the process of digital storytelling. 
]]><![CDATA[The Time Traveler Visits Houghton Middle School]]>Thu, 08 May 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/the-time-traveler-visits-houghton-middle-schoolDr. Sarah Scarlett visited Houghton Middle School today. Students used the Keweenaw Time Traveler to connect and explore Houghton's past. Dr. Scarlett also passed out Houghton Bingo for students to try with their families.
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]]><![CDATA[NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute Virtual Workshops Continue]]>Fri, 02 May 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/neh-community-deep-mapping-institute-virtual-workshops-continueThe NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute (NEH CDMI) virtual workshops continued yesterday with over 40 fellows in attendance. During this workshop Director Dr. Dan Trepal led a discussion on best practices in Data Linking, the creation of Historical Spatial Data Infrastructures, and Data Management. Each of these topics has played a critical role in building the Keweenaw Time Traveler and are essential components of building deep maps as they allow for the connection of data across time and space. The recording of this virtual workshop and others as they become available can be found on the NEH CDMI Virtual Workshops & Asynchronous Modules webpage. A full schedule of virtual workshops and the in-person institute program can be found on the Schedule page.]]><![CDATA[NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute continues after the cancellation of the current NEH grant funded program]]>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/neh-community-deep-mapping-institute-continues-after-the-cancellation-of-the-current-neh-grant-funded-programOn Tuesday, April 3rd the directors of the NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute (NEH CDMI) received notice that the National Endowment for the Humanities had terminated the federal grant responsible for funding the 2025 institute. The letter states: ‘The NEH has reasonable cause to terminate your grant in light of the fact that the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda’. Further information about NEH funding priorities and the Agency’s recent implementation of Trump administration executive orders can be found in this recent press release from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The elimination of this funding mechanism immediately put strain on financially supporting both Institute program development by research staff and faculty as well as the two week in-person workshops taking place in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Over the course of this last week directors have worked to develop a new plan for the continuation of the NEH CDMI constrained by the funding limitations due to the grant termination. To meet this challenge the director team developed a two-prong approach. First, directors developed a new plan that aimed to limit and differ costs while also still meeting the original aims of the Institute and supporting the needs of Institute fellows and their deep mapping projects. Secondly, directors reached out for financial support from their own academic institutions as well as reaching out for support from academic and professional institutions associated with Institute fellows.

Yesterday, NEH CDMI directors and fellows met to discuss the current state of affairs surrounding the Institute. Directors explained the current situation to fellows and discussed their work over the past week to create a plan that would allow the Institute to continue without creating an undue burden of costs on fellows. Fellows universally expressed their support for the Institute and the work directors continued to do to support their teams and projects. All teams agreed that the Institute should move forward with virtual sessions. Teams also expressed a willingness to participate in a more condensed in-person program in the Keweenaw this July, paying for their own transportation and lodging. 

Due to the overwhelming support of the Institute fellows as well as generous financial support from Michigan Technological University and North Dakota State University the 2025 NEH CDMI will continue with both virtual and in-person workshops. The updated virtual and in-person schedules can be found on the NEH CDMI schedule page.

]]><![CDATA[American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting in Detroit]]>Sun, 30 Mar 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.keweenawhistory.com/project-news/american-association-of-geographers-annual-meeting-in-detroit
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Members of the Keweenaw Time Traveler team and Michigan Technological University’s Social Sciences Department attended the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting In Detroit this past week. Over the course of the week students and faculty have presented in or helped facilitate 27 sessions! Below is a list of work presented at the conference:

  • Victor Humanes Fuente: Influence of Fire Regimes and Human Migrations on Pine Regeneration in Northern Michigan
  • Mark Rhodes: Printing the Historical Geographies of the State: The temporalities, spatialities, and bureaucracies of the National Museum Wales Press
  • Don Lafreniere: FV 3-2: Explore the "World in 2 square Miles"- the unique enclave of Hamtramck Michigan
  • Kathryn Hannum: Experiential Learning in Geography: The World as Our Classroom (BOOK) Meet the Authors
  • Dan Trepal: Mapping IPUMS Census Microdata at Micro-Scales: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Kathryn Hannum and Erin Loeschmann: Adapting the IPL-12 for Qualitative Insights into Refugee Integration
  • Esther Acheampong: Enhancing Stakeholder Participation in Geospatial Coastal Vulnerability Indices for Shoreline Management on Lake Michigan’s Coastline
  • Grace Murray: Living Memorials and Their Potential for Community Connections and Representative Memorialization 
  • Roman Sidortsov: Harnessing Community Power: Exploring Community-Based Approaches to Energy Justice
  • Grace Griffin: Developing a National Soundscape Model for US National Parks
  • James Juip: Interpreting the Absent: The use of digital story trails and deep mapping to resurrect a former lumber mill landscape​
In partnership with the Hamtramck Historical Museum and Wayne State University the Keweenaw Time Traveler hosted “Explore the ‘World in 2 square miles’ - the unique enclave of Hamtramck Michigan” a field trip to the community of Hamtramck was one of the highlights of the week. Visitors used the Hamtramck Explorer on their mobile phones to explore the temporal and spatial changes Hamtramck has experienced. Participants received a personal tour of the Hamtramck Historical Museum and wrapped up their excursion with a trip to the Polish Village Cafe.
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