The CMC IT Team is happy to announce the launch of the all new HistoryGrandRapids.org, the online archive of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission. A long time client, and partner on other projects, the Commission decided it was time to update the site we had built for them years ago, and update we did. Everything from the design all the way down to the database has been changed.

The design pushes latest and highlighted content front and center to engage users right off the bat, and users of modern browsers get a beautiful full screen background image to further draw them in. The design also included a new logo with proper attribution of the commission, something the old site was lacking.

The back-end changes gave us the ability to add location data to every item in the archive, and then display them in a custom map complete with full screen capabilities for modern browsers. It also brought about new information like the Theatre and Street history from Father Dennis Morrow's personal collection, videos, furniture companies, browsing items by date, greater search functionality, and better integration of items throughout numerous portions of the site.

Diana Barrett, webmaster for the GRHC, had the following to say about the new site: "As I said back in April when you showed me the basic pages, 'You far exceeded my expectations,' and my thoughts on that have not changed. Commission members are going to be out of their minds." and added "Even though I've been working on it for months now, I still marvel at how you managed to organize so much diverse material, yet make it seem well organized."