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]

Venice, Florida

Under Local Authority:   Living in a planned community seems to be a point of pride, especially when it was planned by a "well-known city planner."  And, thankfully, the county historical commission has explained the name Venice.  That name alone should attract the cognoscenti.  [2009]