Project Status Update 3

Project Overview:
An ESRI story map displaying the locations, pictures, and worthwhile information of all the forts surrounding Verdun.

With the Storytelling Shortlist Template, 4 tabs can be utilized to display different data. Each tab corresponds to a CSV file or Shapefile. My tabs could include: forts, battle lines, troop advancements, places or regions of interest, present day

With the Storytelling Countdown Template, two basemaps at different scales and a sidebar displaying a ranked list of places can be utilized to display a set of data. Using this template, I could rank the forts (by completion date, importance, etc) and display a picture and information for each while showing its geography location on the battlefield scale and through satellite imagery.

With the Storytelling Map Tour Template, a large picture and caption next to a base map can be utilized to display a photograph at its geographic location. If I can't use either of the above templates I will default to this one. It is hosted by ESRI and I know that it will at least function. I am making a overall trip story map displaying all the places we visited in France with this template. I have thirty pictures already completed in a CSV file that I have tested and works perfectly.

The quantity and quality of information I get in the next few weeks, along with figuring out how to properly use all the templates through our own web server, will determine the ultimate outcome. For now I will begin researching the forts and writing down any other data along the way that I find I might be able to use to enhance the final product.

Project Sources:
Alistair Horne's The Price of Glory
John Mosier's The Myth of the Great War, and Verdun: The Lost History...
Christina Holstein's Walking Verdun, Fort Douaumont, and Fort Vaux
Clayton Donnell's Fortifications of Verdun 1874-1917

This Weeks Progress:
Walking Verdun and Fort Vaux by Christina Holstein have arrived in the mail. I am starting my research with reading Walking Verdun. Assuming that I will be able to use the shortlist template, I am making multiple CSV files with the specific template categories. For my forts.csv, I have a name and location for most of the forts and am currently working on finding the rest and writing in 1-5 paragraphs of worthwhile information for each. Here is a screenshot of the CSV in its early stages.

I found a website that has locations and pictures of many of the forts around Verdun. Here is a really helpful Google Earth screenshot of all the fort locations.

I have updated my Overall Trip Story Map and it now contains 30 pictures, with thumbnails, and captions. I won't work on this story map again for a couple weeks in favor of fort research. I plan to have all three of Christina Holstein's books finished by the end of the week. Then I will begin re-reading select parts of The Myth of the Great War.