Citizen photo by Ken DiMauro

Rose Stanley, vice president of the Plainville Historical Society, watches Steve Bouchard and Drew Petrizzo create the new Web site for the organization. The two men own and operate the company, Be the Box.

The Plainville Historical Society is turning to the World Wide Web to get its message out to an increasingly more computer-savvy membership, thanks to the help offered by a local Web design and marketing firm.
Steve Bouchard and Drew Petrizzo, who operate the company, Be the Box, have been working with Rose Stanley, historical society vice president, and other members of the group, to establish an interactive Web site where members and those interested in Plainville history can find out about the organization, upcoming programs and events.
Bouchard and Petrizzo, who have been running the company for nearly a year, obtained the domain name and address for the historical society and created the Web site for free to get exposure for their fledgling firm.
Stanley, who has been active with the historical society for 20 years, has been seeking to do a Web site and had the opportunity to meet the young men when they asked if the organization needed Internet and Web site services. "The Internet is the future," Stanley said, adding the site will be operational in about two weeks by accessing www.Plainvillehistoricalsociety. org.
Stanley will preside over the Web site and its contents. The site itself will change periodically to offer looks at historical subjects, programs and events. "Ruth Hummel has written an article about the canal," Stanley said. The old Farmington Canal, which operated from 1828 to 1848, ran from Northampton, Mass., to New Haven and put Plainville on the map.
Over the years, the historical organization has focused on new technology to promote the group and the historic center museum that is located in the former Town Hall building at 29 Pierce St. Longtime member Norman Stitham put many of the old newspaper articles, photos, and documents on computer discs. In addition, Hummel, who founded the historical society in 1968, does periodic shows on various historical subjects for the public access channel at Nutmeg TV.
Stanley is excited about the Web site, adding it will give researchers, historical society members and residents a new way to ask questions and find out about local history.
Bouchard, 21, and Petrizzo, 22, who both reside in Plainville, have built other Web sites for businesses and groups, but are excited that they will be able to help the historical society in their hometown. Both fondly remember touring the historic center's exhibits and displays when each was in the third-grade. The two things that stuck with them from the elementary school tours were the canal diorama and getting to taste old-fashioned snickerdoodle treats. Both young men are self-taught in their computer design interests.
Historical society President Nancy Eberhardt, who suceeded Hummel in May as president, said she is looking forward to seeing the Web site, its forums and Interactive formats. Hummel, too, is glad to see the group reaching out to young people and is happy to see new and innovative ideas from Eberhardt, Stanley and others.

Comments :