Virtual Rosewood Research Project (VRRP) Data Warehouse Opens

As the primary/initial phase of the Virtual Rosewood Research Project (VRRP) comes to a close, I have decided to begin posting some of the data I've used for my study online. While I plan to remain active in researching Rosewood in the future, the completion of my dissertation and a virtual model of Rosewood signals the end of the project as envisioned when I began systematic research in 2008.

Sample 1900 Historic Census Page

My decision to share data is motivated by a conscious decision to open the academic process of researching the past to public scrutiny and commentary. I see this as a political act since the process of knowledge construction influences society in both direct and indirect ways. Building an expanded history of Rosewood involves making decisions about the past which may become entrenched in the public's mind through a variety of ways. These include heritage decisions based on my research, public perceptions about the development of Rosewood and Sumner, and the continuing importance of Rosewood in popular imagination. Rosewood means a-lot of different things to a-lot of different people. The authority academic work often assumes - either directly or indirectly - is sometimes bolstered by neglecting to reveal our data, methods, and interpretive decisions to the wider public. Honestly, academics are sometimes guilty of obscuring these aspects of the research process from one another as well.

1910 Enumeration District Map

The VRRP Data Warehouse accomplishes other goals as well. For instance, the first datasets placed online are transcriptions of the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census for Rosewood and its vicinity. In the past, only one set of census records have been consulted by academics researching Rosewood. This is problematic for a couple of reasons. First, it doesn't provide a historical perspective of the town's development through time. Second, individual census recorders differed in their levels of dedication to the job. The census takers for 1900 and 1910 recorded detailed information about home ownership, occupation, and education whereas this information was largely absent from the 1920 census.

Sample 1920 Historic Census Record

Census records are also important to descendants and relatives. While popular genealogical sites like Ancestry.com are increasingly intuitive to use, tracing one's family through time can still be a challenge

Therefore, the above census data has already been uploaded. You can view them and other information about locating the census records on the landscape by visiting the VRRP Data Warehouse.

Enumeration Districts for Rosewood Vicinity (1910 & 1920)
(click for larger image)