What is Historypin? You may have heard the name before, and may even have a vague idea of what it is, but how does Historypin work exactly? And more to the point, why is it being hailed as such an exciting innovation?
Quite simply, Historypin is a collection of historic photos and personal recollections that are generated by users. With the aid of Google Maps and Street View, users can overlay photographs and recollections, correlating these with the geographic location they pertain to.
Everyone has a past, comprising memories, anecdotes, mementoes and other fragments that link the past with the present. These recollections form a timeline that collectively spans the ages from the dawn of civilisation.
Launched in 2010 by non-profit company We Are What We Do, the Historypin website was created with the support of Google and various other organisations. With over 30,000 images and recollections currently pinned to the Historypin map, the site is well on its way to becoming the definitive source of all human memory. A range of themed collections have been curated for Historypin, including special galleries to commemorate The Blitz, fashion and even the evolution of facial hair through the ages. Elsewhere, energy supplier npower have chipped in with over 1,200 images revealing how energy has changed the way we live.
Historypin, which comprises both a website and mobile app, is designed to be an interactive hub that everyone can engage with. We all have memories, photographs and recollections of the past which overlap with those of our fellow citizens. Learning others’ memories of, say, the street where we grew up can transform the way we view the past and provide a fascinating insight into the minutiae that shapes our lives.
As part of the Historypin project, museums, historical societies and newspaper archives have also contributed material. The website has proved to be immensely popular, with a growing number of users choosing to browse Historypin as well as contributing their own memories.
We may be living in the present, but we are forever indebted to the past. Historypin serves as a reminder of the discoveries, people, moments and places that have shaped society and made us what we are today. This invaluable resource uses modern technology to pay homage to the past, paving the way for millions of people to share the story of human progress. We all have different experiences to share for the benefit of future generations.
What photos or recollections would you like to add to Historypin?
