Historical interpretation plays an integral role in site conservation as it provides narratives to spaces and features that may not be well understood on their own. This project sought to convey the narrative of the Spanish American Battery located on the St. Johns Bluff in Jacksonville. We used ArcGIS Storymaps to create an integrative narrative detailing the development of the site and its surrounding features in a timeline format by combining text and historical maps compiled in the Cultural Land Report provided by the National Parks Service. The historical maps served as the foundation of the project, which we supported with text-based evidence and current-day imagery. Because the Spanish American Battery is not currently open to the public, this project provides an opportunity to share the history of the site and provide spatial context without ever setting foot on the property. This has implications for other projects that may be hard to access but would benefit from public support.
