By Keith Regan,, Contributing Writer
Northborough–For his Eagle Scout project, Daniel Fishbein didn’t hammer, nail, or saw any boards, but he still managed to build something that town residents will be able to use for years to come.
Tapping into a personal passion for history and hoping to help a new generation of Northborough residents be able to access information about the town’s past, Fishbein created an interactive map of historical sites in town.
Calling history his “passion,” Fishbein explained to the Board of Selectmen at its meeting May 19 that he, like many residents, often passed the town’s Historical Society and wondered what went on the building.
After getting involved and working closely with Historical Society curator Ellen Racine, Fishbein used the Google Maps application to create a virtual tour of some of the town’s historical properties.
Users of the map can click on locations and be taken to pages that show both historical and present day photos – -taken from the same perspective as photos from the past when possible – as well as brief summaries of the property’s historical significance.
Fishbein plans to introduce his work to elementary school students in coming weeks and selectmen suggested he work with the town’s now-forming 250th Anniversary Committee, which is planning a local history month as part of the town’s birthday celebration in 2016.
“I wanted to make sure the next generation can experience some of the town’s history the way past ones did,” Fishbein said.
Fishbein’s map can be accessed through the Historical Society’s website at www.northboroughhistoricalsociety.org.