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Source: Cleveland Historical
Breaking News
May 31, 2011

Cleveland Historical Makes Its Public Debut, Offers 21st-Century History Lesson


CLEVELAND, May 31, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- The launch of Cleveland Historical, a free mobile walking tour app for Android and iPhone users and the first of its kind for Cleveland, brings the city's history right to users' fingertips. The National Council on Public History recently recognized the project as one of the best in the world.

Android and iPhone users can explore Northeast Ohio's history, whether it's through notable names or off-the-beaten-path places that helped shape the region. Layered, map-based, multimedia presentations bring history to life, and links to popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter encourage users to share their experience with the world in an easy, fun-to-use format.

Together with the Cleveland Historical website, users can search more than 150 stories by subject or tag, or browse through a comprehensive map of historic locations. Themed walking tours guide users through the photos, video and audio that accompany the sites. From the sacred landmarks that dot the region to the Cultural Gardens that are thought to be the world's first peace garden, some of the most significant and extraordinary buildings and places can be found in one of 11 themes.

Highlights include:

  • League Park: The site of the 1920 World Series, League Park saw its last game in 1946 when the Cleveland Municipal Stadium was built. The new stadium was more than triple the size of League Park
  • The Cleveland Agora: A nationally prominent venue in the music industry. Originally a dance club for college students, it evolved into highly reputable venue for breaking major new talent
  • Dunham Tavern: The oldest building in Cleveland still standing on its original sight. Initially a farmhouse, it was converted into a stagecoach stop along the Buffalo-Cleveland-Detroit post road to cater to travelers

"Understanding the past helps us to shape the future, and today's technology allows history to come alive in ways it never could before," said the app's developer, Mark Tebeau, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Cleveland State University. "In the past, we used books and photos to illustrate historical events. Now, we can utilize mobile technology to bring history to life during walking tours of the actual sites that shaped our city."

To download Cleveland Historical, go to your Android or iPhone app store, or click here.

Read entire article at Cleveland Historical