Inspiration
We were inspired by an open data set from the City of Montreal which documented historical images of the city from the 1920s and 1930s. Instead of leaving the data sitting in a csv, we decided to bring it to life by displaying the images on an interactive map using Google Maps API.
What it does
Our app showcases the rich cultural and historical heritage of Montréal by clustering markers on a map, which the user can select to pull up a black and white image of a specific location from the previous century.
How we built it
First we cleaned the data and added exact geographic coordinates for each location. Then we used Google Maps API to dynamically generate markers for the locations by fetching JSON data, creating an infowindow to display each image.
Challenges we ran into
Learning how to fetch JSON data and resolve promises as first-time javascript users. Combining the map with the frontend components. Learning git.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Learning git.
What I learned
Novice programmers can actually accomplish a lot when we work together :)
What's next for mtl_history_map
Since all of the images are from before a time when Montréal's current language laws were in place, we would like to create a game of sorts where the user is challenged to pick out images from the map that would not pass the current language laws (many of the stores and buildings in the images have signs in English--see if you can find them!)
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