Jill Bishop started the Annandale Online Website in 1999 while studying
for her Master
of Liberal Studies degree. She
had considered ethnography of the Annandale area
for her project when she came across another city's
community website. In
March 1999, Annandale Online became part of the internet after the City
of Annandale okayed
it. Now eight
years later, Jill is still the website administrator of the site, which
is sponsored by the City of Annandale. The
website has grown from 50 pages when it was introduced to 600 pages of
information. (A
page can include many screens of information.)
Jill said that the mission of the website is very
important. The
mission of Annandale Online is as follows:
The purpose of a community website is to
strengthen and increase connectedness within the community by
providing a directory of accurate and timely information about, by,
and for the Annandale community.
While the internet can provide access to
all corners of the globe, the focus of content for Annandale Online
is local. The
target audience is not only the local population, but also the
Second Community, people who live away from Annandale but
have ties here, such a AHS Alumni, expatriates (former residents),
seasonal residents, and friends and family of local residents.
The Annandale Online home page features a picture which is changed every
week or two. Currently,
it features a 1945
Annandale streetscene. The
sections include Events, Government, Library, School, Business, History, Advocate,
Civic Groups, Religion-Spirituality, Health, Visitors, Other, and
Weather.
The Events section includes the what, where and when of what's
going on each month in Annandale. All Civic Groups in Annandale are
included, and some of them maintain their own pages. Government
is included at the local, township, state and federal level. Some
townships have their own websites. Religion
includes links to several churches and the church schedules from The
Advocate. Annandale
Schools maintain their own website. Jill
maintains the AHS Alumni information including class lists and class
reunion information.
The Business section includes a list of area businesses that
have websites. The
Chamber of Commerce site is maintained by Steve Bergesch.
The goal is to be inclusive. Jill
would appreciate information, corrections, and everyone's
help in keeping Annandale Online current. Her
address is webster@annandaleonline.com.
In 2006, a History section was added to the website. The
History section includes the following:
-
History Club
-
Area Cemeteries
-
Obituaries
-
Century Citizens
-
Minnesota Pioneer Park (external
link)
-
Wright County Historical Society (external
link)
-
Minnesota Historical Society (external link)
The Annandale History Club started in 1991. Jill
attended the May 2006 meeting and asked if the secretary's
notes of Annandale History Club speakers could be included on the
Annandale Online website. This
project is underway. It
will take time to type and in some cases recreate the notes, but the
effort will most certainly be a worthwhile addition to the historical
record of the Annandale area.
A list of Annandale cemeteries
is online as well as burial lists for several cemeteries.
There is also a link to a website in Finland listing Annandale area
cemeteries and an alphabetical listing of burials in those cemeteries. This
is a project completed by Ernest S. Lantto.
Annandale Online includes most everything a person would want to know
about Annandale.
Secretary, Annandale History
Club
