Arizona Research Library is mapping history

PHOENIX— The State of Arizona Research Library has a new interactive tool that teachers, researchers, and explorers can enjoy! Created by one of the library’s interns, the Arizona Historic Place Names Story Map is designed to connect individuals to the rich history the state offers, whether for newcomers or for those who have spent a lifetime in Arizona.

Lisa Kallmes is a U.S. history and government teacher at Westview High School in Avondale and master’s degree student at Pace University in New York.  Additionally, she participates in the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, which partners with Pace University, and created The Arizona Historic Place Names Story Map for her Capstone Project.

“This map will be a tool that students, residents, and visitors can use to learn details about the historic names of various locations around Arizona,” Kallmes said.

Before building the map, Kallmes first created a new collection for the Arizona Memory Project: Arizona Historic Place Names. This collection is available online at http://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/custom/sla.  She drew on the information she collected from historic newspaper clippings, and did additional research using the millions of items in the State of Arizona Research Library collections.

The story map will keep growing. Library volunteers are already researching new places to add. This map can be viewed on any digital device by clicking on Arizona Historic Place Names at https://azlibrary.gov/dazl/arizona-maps-online.

The map is mobile-device friendly, which makes it an essential part of any Arizona road trip!

For questions about this or any digital collection, or for cultural institutions interested in sharing collections on the Arizona Memory Project, contact [email protected].

The Arizona Memory Project provides free online access to the wealth of primary sources in Arizona archives, museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions. This project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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