Tracing the Routes of School Trips in Washington, DC

Lauren Rever, George Mason University

Since the 1890s, millions of US-American students have traveled on an overnight trip to Washington, DC. “America's largest classroom,” a Washington Evening Star journalist described the capital city in 1961. Which historical sites and institutions have been visited since the 1890s? Which places are among the most visited destinations? How have the typical routes and itineraries of these educational trips changed over the decades, and what conclusions can be drawn about students' changing understanding of history as portrayed in space and through their tourist experiences? This postdoctoral research presents a spatial and digital history of domestic school trips to Washington, DC, following the framework of tourism as heritage performance. The work of the project is to process collected travel routes between 1896 and 2024 as data events and visualize them in geoinformation systems. By combining this with georeferenced historical maps, the travel routes within the capital can be traced cartographically. This project will thus show the development of this cultural practice over time and space, particularly in the context of the changing urban landscape, national narratives, the museum profession, the hospitality industry, and available historical institutions. Where a complete travel itinerary is available, the sequence of sights visited throughout a daily tour route becomes a central element of HGIS analysis. Understanding urban space as a narrative medium, the mapped routes can show how authoritative experiences from the landscape characterize the perception and interpretation of the places visited. Particularly revealing is the connection between these authoritative experiences and external narratives, such as those of tour operators or teachers. A key goal is to place the history of younger generations at the center of attention - to make their experiences, perceptions, and practices of historical learning visible and to understand them as part of the wider landscape of memory.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 65. HGIS for the Public