You Can Power Wikipedia!

The indispensable online reference site Wikipedia has set the goal this September of collecting user contributed photos of every site on the U.S.  National Register of Historic Places. You can see the entire list via this interactive map.

Make your contributions by creating a Wikipedia account and reviewing the list of locations in your community without active entries on Wikipedia for targets.  You can upload your photos via the location listings from the interactive map.  Assigning a Creative Commons license of CC0 will keep your image in the public domain.

The top ten photos from U.S. contributors will win prizes and the chance to compete in the International Best Picture Competition.  More importantly, your contributions will help in the effort to call attention to the  collage of 80,000+ "districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation" in the U.S.
 
Hit the streets as part of an organized meet-up (like the one in Atlanta at noon on September 15) or have the fun of hunting down and exploring unlisted place with family and friends.  My crew will be cruising for Carnegie Libraries.  Happy hunting!

The Appalachian Trail Turns 75

Plaque Marking the Southern Terminus of the AT on Springer Mountain (via Jeff McMichael)

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Appalachian Trail, the 2,184 mile foot path running through 14 states along a route connecting Springer Mountain, Georgia to  Mount Katahdin in Maine.   

The brainchild of naturalist Benton MacKaye, the white flashes on the trail guide through hikers who traverse the entire length of the trail as part of a six month trek.  For the rest of us, many portions of the trail are easily accessible for day hikes and weekend excursions.

Fall View of the AT Near the Trailhead at Woody Gap near Suches, Georgia

Georgians can enjoy the 75 miles of the trail in our state via park-and-walk access from several major roads.  Weekends are a busy time on the trail, so try to slip away on a weekday when you can.  Thanks to the members of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club for their work maintaining the trail and its environs.

T-SPLOST Vote Critical for Atlanta

Tuesday's vote on the Regional Transportation Referendum for North Georgia is critical to the continued prosperity of all residents of the greater Atlanta area and our standing as a Global City.

I think Ted Turner summed it all up this morning in the AJC:

..as Atlanta has grown, traffic congestion and too few transportation options have made Atlanta less appealing. As a result, too many businesses choose to locate in cities where getting around is not such a challenge. Funding a fair mix of road, transit, and other transportation projects will address this challenge, and help us build the city we want for us and for our children.

It is easy to shoot down big ideas. But small ideas aren’t the Atlanta way. They didn’t make us the capital of the South and they won’t lead us into a healthy and prosperous future.

Atlanta has to start somewhere and it doesn’t have time to waste. I’ll be voting “yes” Tuesday. If Atlanta isn’t moving forward, we are being left behind.

Please join me in voting yes for the initiative and investing in the future.