London, England

Tower Hill Sundial:  Laid into the outer rim of the sundial are bas reliefs that mark events in London's history.  The original city walls were completed in 220 AD and restored in 896.  Only one thing happened in between:  St. Paul's was built.  Who chooses what to memorialize on a timeline like this?  [2009]

Whangarei, New Zealand

Look Down:  One of the plaques under foot in Whangarei's city centre is a reproduction of the plan for creating a new town to the north of Auckland.  The date was 1866.  Notice the old spelling: Wangarei.  A primary source, lifted from the archives, has been made available for everyone to see.  [2011]

Venice, Florida

History Under Foot:  Plazas as well as sidewalks provide opportunities to help the public visualize their place in the world: in this case, the world of urban planning.  The map used to lay out Venice in the 1920s has become a permanent part of the city's narrative, thanks to the power of one medallion.  [2009]

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Not Here, But There:  Another pointing arrow.  This one seems to say:  "Look over there."  Its roadside home is right next to the burial ground.  Raise your hand if you think you could communicate all that information in about half as many words.  [2010]

Cuba, Alabama

Be Grateful for Graphic Elements:  Graphics are rare on historical markers.  Among graphic elements, maps are even rarer (likewise, textual references to imaginary lines).  This marker is also a good example of 'history as chronology.'  [1985]