What Was There is a good example of using Google Maps to show the way places used to look. What Was There allows registered users to upload old images of buildings and landmarks and have them displayed in the place where they were taken. Anyone can explore the map and view the historical images on the map. Enter a city name in the search box or browse the map’s placemarks to find images. Click on a placemark to open an image then choose “Google Street View” to see the image placed over current image of a place.

What Was There is similar to History Pin which I reviewed last summer.

What Was There presents a good opportunity to contribute to a global project that shows off the history of their communities. Have students locate old images of their communities, scan the images, and add them to What Was There. Students could search online for those older images, but they could also visit their local libraries, historical societies, and or town halls to find older images of their communities.