By MATT DEYOUNG Grand Haven Tribune (Printed with writtenpermission from the Grand Haven Tribune)
Nov 23, 2021 Updated Dec 29, 2022
A new bit of technology has given a boost to a piece of local history.
Rebecca Hopp, who served as Ferrysburg’s mayor up until earlier this month, worked with a pair of students at the Career line Tech Center to add a QR code to the Smith Bayou historical marker, which sits at the northeast side of Smith’s Bridge.
A QR code is a type of barcode that can be scanned using a smartphone, which then provides a link to specific information. In this case, scanning the QR code at the bottom of the historical marker brings up a link on the city of Ferrysburg’s website to information on the marker. The page includes an audio clip featuring the text included on the marker.
Aidan Palmbos, a senior at Jenison High School who also studies in the Software and Game Development program at the Career line Tech Center, created the QR code. Ethan Doxey, a senior at Hamilton High School and a student in the tech center’s ENT/Global Business class, created an audio recording of the historical marker.
“What makes this collaboration even more exciting is this project has created an opportunity for individuals with visual impairments to learn about Hezekiah Smith and his contributions to the communities,” Hopp said. “Through my research and conversations with the Michigan Historical Center and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, this project is also the first ever linking a QR code to the audio recording of a Michigan historical marker for the state.
