Reunion Area Map Added at Web Site (Click for full story)Dateline: - Friday, August 13, 2010
We have a map feature at the web site that will show places of interest to Reunion 2011 attendees as well as all Violettes.
We have included a map function associated with the Reunion page at our web site—VioletteFamily.org. Click the Reunions button and at the Reunions page click the Map of Reunion Area button on that page. The points on the map will be added to all the time, so check back often to see what is new. We have also added a button in the sidebar at the right of the pages so you can get to the map from every page at the site.
We plan to show points you will be interested in when attending Reunion 2011 as well as any time you are visiting the Upper St John River Valley. You will receive copies of this map in your registration package at the Reunion. There will be a map to show you where Reunion events will be held as well as the location and details of lodging, restaurants, shopping, and other needs for Reunion-goers.
But even more, we will be showing you places around the region that have a relationship to the Violette family. You will be able to use that map to explore the places that were important to our ancestors.
And we will include places of historic or regional interest that you may want to include in your exploration of the area.
Each mapped item will have a description, an address where applicable, and GPS coordinates to help you drive right to it. Photos will be included to show you what you will find there.
Map contributors
Randy Violette, VFA #2673, of Presque Isle ME helped to locate some of the points shown on the map by checking with his father, Rene, VFA #646, of Grand Isle ME and his grandmother, Anne Violette, VFA #569, (wife of Valerian and current owner of the Violette House in Van Buren). Dave Violette, VFA #621, did the programming and also included points from his visit to the area in 2008 with wife, Elaine, and his parents Alderic O. “Dick” and Alice Violette, VFA #100 and 101.
We encourage members to help us make this map system more complete by suggesting other points to add to the maps. We need to know at minimum the name of the place and the reason why you think it would be of interest to family members and Reunion-goers. We also need to have an address (and GPS coordinates if you have them) but would also like photo(s) and contact info if a business or privately-owned place (name, address, phone, email, etc). Don’t worry if you do not have GPS coordinates since we can develop those using geocoding. We may also ask members who live in the area to help provide GPS coordinates (and photos) for points we cannot otherwise pin down.
Using the maps
Each map layer has its own marker color, so all points of that category will have the same color marker. To the right of the map is a group of expandable tables that will open up to list all the points of a category when you click on the + button and close up when you click the - button. (The Family History section is expanded in the map view on the previous page) Each point is numbered sequentially in each category and the markers shown on the map bear those sequential numbers.
While this mapping system will be of great benefit to those attending Reunion 2011, it will remain at the web site as a lasting (and growing) source of information about “things Violette” and can be used by visitors to the area at other times as well.
The present mapping system and its features are only the start; Dave Violette, our WebMaster, will continue to expand the features as well as to add content.