Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Jez says, "The first descent by parachute was a somewhat sturdy affair including whalebone ribs."
Place Of The Day
Norwich, United Kingdom
Norwich has a long history. It has been a city since 1094. From the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution, Norwich was the largest city in England after London and one of the most important. This is refelected in its plaques.
Most-viewed plaques
In the last 11 years, between 20 May 2009 to 6 Jan 2021, Open Plaques had 4,530,517 page views from 1,234,480 users. Some were triggered by internet memes such as Steve Ullathorne's 2012 image of a George Orwell plaque with a CCTV camera next to it. Others, such as those for Alan Turing, were probably triggered by an anniversary and campaign for recognition.
- George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist & political essayist lived here (19526 page views)
- Jacob von Hogflume 1864-1909 Inventor of time travel. lived here in 2189 (15077 page views)
- George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist and political essayist lived here (6390 page views)
- Jimi Hendrix 1942-1970 guitarist and songwriter lived here 1968-1969 (5714 page views)
- Alan Turing 1912-1954 founder of computer science and cryptographer, whose work was key to breaking the wartime Enigma codes, lived and died here. (4085 page views)
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859-1930 creator of Sherlock Holmes lived here 1891-1894 (3846 page views)
- Alan Turing 1912-1954 code breaker lived here from 1945-1947 (3679 page views)
- This building housed the offices of Charles Dickens' magazine 'All The Year Round' and his private apartments 1859-1870 (3339 page views)
- Dame Agatha Christie 1890-1976 detective novelist and playwright lived here 1934-1941 (3027 page views)
- The Peterloo Massacre. On 16th August 1819, a peaceful rally of 60,000 pro-democracy reformers, men, women and children was attacked by armed cavalry resulting in 15 deaths and over 600 injuries. (3006 page views)
recently photographed plaques
Texas Historical Marker #04755
Site of Chihuahua Road (Crossing at West end of Bridge). In the 19th Centery, a life line that connected Chihuahua, Mexico, with the Texas port of Indianola. Opened to exploit rich trade in Mexican silver and gold, the road eventually carried every type of goods (including, in 1860, 27 camels), adventurers, settlers, soldiers, and "forty-niners" bound for the California gold rush. All sorts of vehicles used the Chihuahua Road: stagecoaches, wagons, ox-carts, and traveling ambulances, which were light carriages with 4-foot wheels. Not until the railroad came to San Antonio, 1877, did this road lose its commercial importance. 1968 #4755
US 90, W of Del Rio, Del Rio, TX, United States
Wet Rake Gardens c. 1909 Marking the top of this historic shopping street, Wet Rake Gardens replaced the Union Foundry, once owned by John Halstead & Co, iron and brass founders
Drake Street, Rochdale, United Kingdom
Subjects
Fort Worth Army Air Field By January 1941, negotiations between Fort Worth civic advocates, led by Amon G. Carter, and the U.S. Army yielded an agreement to construct an aircraft plant near the city to build B-24 Liberator bombers. Legislation later authorized the creation of a landing field adjacent to the completed Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation Plant No. 4 which became Tarrant Field/Tarrant Field Airdrome. Three months after the U.S. joined World War II, the plant was in operation and the Army moved forward to create an Air Base to utilize this proximity between sites to facilitate B-24 crew training. This air base opened in August 1942 and was named Fort Worth Army Air Field (FWAAF) in May 1943, training more than 4,000 pilots between 1942 and 1944. It allowed the city to contribute substantially to victory for the U.S. and Allied Powers. In late January 1948, FWAAF was renamed Carswell Air Force Base in honor of Fort Worth native and Medal of Honor recipient Major Horace S. Carswell, Jr. The site became a key U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) base during the Cold War, serving as a highly visible symbol of nuclear deterrence and force projection. The site was the first SAC base to be equipped with the Fort Worth-produced B-36 Peacemaker bomber and transitioned by 1959 to the legendary B-52 Stratofortress bomber. In 1972, B-52s stationed here participated in the most powerful SAC campaign of the Vietnam War, Operation Linebacker II. After the end of the Cold War, Carswell AFB closed in September 1993. In October 1994, the site reopened as Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, supporting active duty and reserve units in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and the Texas Air National Guard. This base greatly aided training and support of the U.S. Military during the Global War on Terrorism and continues a long tradition of professional excellence in the defense of the Nation. (2016) Marker is Property of the State of Texas
200 Pumphrey Dr., Westworth Village, TX, United States
To the people of Illinois, past and present. This monument is dedicated. "May the sun continue to shine on those spirits who at one time inhabited these majestic acres november 19, 1975 hopewell estates created by peter toth (sculptor) donated by the robert dose family
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The Lodge built 1868 Clapham Fire Station 1868-1902
33 The Pavement, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
Buildings on this site are documented from 1427. In 1606 a new city gaol was established here and by 1689 an inn called the Rainbow had been incorporated. There has been an inn here ever since.
City Arms, High Street, Wells, United Kingdom
Subjects
En esta casa vivió y murió "El Héroe de Sostoa" D. Tomás de Sostoa y Achúcarro, brigadier de la Armada española, Montevideo 1786 - Málaga 1849.
English translation: In this house, “The Hero of Sostoa” D. Tomás de Sostoa y Achúcarro, Brigadier of the Spanish Navy, Montevideo 1786 - Málaga 1849, lived and died.
Calle Ollerías, 31, Málaga, Spain
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #10045
Old Gillespie County Courthouse. Erected 1881-1882 in term of County Judge Wm. Wahrmund and Commissioners J. Dechert, F. Kneese, J. arson and J. P. Mosel. Architect was Alfred Giles. Native limestone structure is distinctive in fine balance and symmetry. Second courthouse built in county; used until 1939. Restoration and conversion to library-community hall is gift of Mr. and Mrs. eugene McDermott. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967 #10045
?, Fredericksburg, TX, United States
Subjects
Alphonse Daudet, né à Nîmes le 13 mai 1840, est mort dans cette maison le 16 décembre 1897.
English translation: Alphonse Daudet, born in Nîmes on 13 May 1840, died in this house on 16 December 1897. [AWS Translate]
41 rue de l'Université, Paris, France
Texas Historical Marker #14947
Sedberry, Mrs. Ruth, Home. #14947 [full inscription unknown]
211 N. Market St., Jefferson, TX, United States
Cirencester Canal Wharf. Near here between 1783-1789 a wharf was built to serve the Cirencester branch of the Thames Severn Canal from Siddington Junction. The canal was abandoned in 1933.
Querns Lane, Cirencester, United Kingdom