This document introduces The History List, an online platform for promoting historical organizations, events, and activities. It aims to create broader awareness of history by providing a focused, high-quality environment for individuals and families to discover engaging historical content anywhere. Existing methods for publicizing history are inadequate, so The History List seeks to be a targeted tool where organizations can easily list their information and events for free, and users can easily find new historical experiences to plan with confidence. It has already partnered with several prominent historical societies and museums.

1. Why we’re creating
The History List

2. The History List
Curated and focused on history
High quality environment
Online
Where everyone goes first—for local activities and trip planning
Virtually the only resource for a younger demographic—your
future members, donors, volunteers

3. Overarching goal
Create broader, deeper
awareness of history.

4. So far . . .
As a society, what we’ve
been doing isn’t enough,
doesn’t seem to be
working, or both.

5. Reason #1
Coming face to face with
history is compelling,
eye-opening, moving,
rewarding, fascinating.

6. Across time and place

7. Our art helps tell our story

8. Their voyage of discovery . . .

9. . . . and ours.

10. Exploring our communities
Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde in Colorado

11. Inside our homes . . .

12. . . . and outside.

13. Hearing different viewpoints
A Wampanoag historic interpreter at Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts.

14. How we lived . . .

15. . . . played

16. . . . gossiped

17. . . . shopped

18. . . . and traveled.

19. Aboard an historic ship . . .

20. . . . seeing what makes her go.

21. Seeing how we communicated across time and distance
Register Cliff on the Oregon Trail in Wyoming.

22. Hearing personal accounts face to face

23. Standing on the shore where history was made
Marconi Beach on Cape Cod, site of the first transatlantic wireless broadcast in the U.S.

24. Or in his studio . . .

25. . . . learning how and why
he created his art.

26. Seeing firsthand
the turning points
in the formation
of a new nation

27. A nation honors its fallen.

28. A community
preserves its past.

29. Reason #2
It helps us connect
across generations.

30. Preserving our past and
informing our future.

31. Reason #3
What we’ve been doing
doesn’t seem to be
working.

32. Who said, “The British are coming!
The British are coming!”
Paul . . . Paul Bunyon?
Jay Leno “Jaywalking” on The Tonight Show: “History is a Mystery”

33. The Regulars are coming
out!
Image: Office for Emergency Management, Office of War Information, Overseas Operations Branch, New York
Office, News and Features Bureau, Picture Division. (1942 – 1945). Quote: Revere, Paul (1961). Paul Revere's
Three Accounts of His Famous Ride. Introduction by Edmund Morgan. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society.

34. What actually happened is so much more interesting
From the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. L to R: Paul Revere's deposition, draft, circa 1775; Paul Revere's
deposition, fair copy, circa 1775; Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798

35. The marker at the spot where Revere, Dawes, and Prescott were stopped. From www.ilovenationalparks.org.

36. In Revere’s own words:
I told him I knew better, I knew what they were after;
that I had alarmed the country all the way up,
that their Boats, were catch'd a ground, and I should have 500 men their
soon;
one of them said they had 1500 coming;
he seemed supprised and rode off, into the road, and informed them who
took me,
they came down immeaditly on a full gallop,
one of them (whom I since learned was Major Mitchel of the 5th Regiment
Clap'd his Pistol to my head, and said he was going to ask me some
questions,
if I did not tell the truth, he would blow my brains out.
I told him I esteemed my self a Man of truth,
that he had stopped me on the high way, & made me a prisoner,
I knew not by what right;
I would describing what happenedtruth; stopped by soldiers as he rode west from Boston to alert others.
Paul Revere tell him the after he was
From Paul Revere's deposition, fair copy, circa 1775, in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
I was not afraid . . .

37. Reason #4
Existing means for
getting the word out
aren’t adequate.

38. The current state of the art at work:
142 e-mail recipients for a notice of an event in Boston tied to the Civil War.
 This announcement of an event in Boston went to 142 recipients
 How many of these e-mail addresses are still active?
 How many of the recipients forwarded it on to their organization’s members?

39. Existing sites don’t work well for many of our events.
An ad for a
national chain
Are there really
1,796 history
events in the
area? How do I Ad for shoes
sort through and handbags?
them?
Tickets to
events that
have nothing to
Listings for local McDonald’s do with my
restaurants in a search for search?
“history?”

40. Expensive, difficult to stand out in city travel media.

41. The History List
A targeted tool for organizations to
attract new visitors and members
National in scope
No cost to list organization, events, exhibits
Easy cut and paste entry
Room for extensive text, pictures, details
Link to your site for more information
Tags help people find your events
Ratings and review give people confidence

42. Reason #5
If you’re planning to
attend an event,
where can you go to
find information to
make the most of it?

43. Where do you turn for answers to questions such as . . .
Where’s the best place to stand?
When do we need to get there in order to get a good view?

44. The History List
Easier for individuals and families
Tools to find interesting events anywhere—for a Saturday
out or a trip across the country
By distance to travel, location, event type, organization . . .
Find recommended new events, exhibits, organizations
Plan with confidence –pictures, reviews,
recommendations
Share with others—Site, integrated social sharing

46. The History List
o Publicizing events and activities, sites
and exhibits
o Connecting organizations to share
ideas and learn about resources
o Enabling a community of interested
individuals

47. The History List
o No cost to list organization
o No cost to list hours, exhibits,
programs, events

48. The History List
o Participating organizations include . . .
The Massachusetts Historical Society
Historic New England
The Freedom Trail Foundation
The Massachusetts Society of Genealogists
The Charles River Group of Historical Societies
The Blackstone Valley Group of Historical Societies
The Bostonian Society and the Old State House Museum
The USS Constitution Museum
The New England Museum Association (NEMA)
Old Sturbridge Village

49. The History List
o Getting started
Download the one-page guide from
www.TheHistoryList.com/pages/help
Log in with Facebook or request an account
o Enter your information
Any staff member, intern, or volunteer can enter or edit
Enter your events and activities, including text and pictures
Complete the information about your organization, site, or
museum
Add the Member logo to your site and newsletter

50. Lee Wright
Founder
Lee@TheHistoryList.com
Twitter: TheHistoryList