WESTFIELD—While playing Pokemon Go in Westfield, people can download another mobile app and can whip around Westfield, checking out a variety of historical sites.
File photo of the Athenaeum
The Westfield Historical Commission created a walking tour of the city called “Whipping Around Westfield,” through the mobile app “PocketSights.” The tour will be part of what the group will discuss during an informational meeting and guided tour with the public on July 20, 6 p.m., at the Westfield Athenaeum, that they hope will invigorate public interest in the history of the city.
“It’s a nice entry way into learning about Westfield and it would be a great thing for kids to get interested in,” Carly Bannish, Secretary for Westfield Historical Commission, said.
“Wouldn’t it be great if a family some night after dinner took their kids on a guided tour through Westfield,” she added.
The app, which is available on both Apple and Android devices, works by utilizing your phone’s GPS system—similar to Pokemon Go—and locates nearby tours that are built into the system. The app is purposely designed to be used by people walking, so there is no concern that any location on the map will be too far to get to.
Along the way, the app has written explanations of each site that they come across, or users can opt to have the app play audio versions of the descriptions. These descriptions are provided by the developers of the tours, which in Westfield’s case was Bannish.
“I was visiting my dad in Ft. Myers, Florida, and was interested in doing a ghost tour out there,” Bannish said. “I came across this app that allows you to do sort of walking tours and thought that would be a great idea for Westfield.”
Users who are traveling to other areas can also look at the area they are traveling to beforehand and see if there are any self-guided tours on the app.
Old burying Ground on Mechanic Street
Bannish said that the initial attention for the app has been low, but expects it to pick up now that word has been spreading about it. The Columbia Rail Trail is having signage installed that will have advertisements for the app, and the Westfield Historic Commission will continue to try to put the word out about it.
The tour starts at the Westfield Athenaeum, is just under 1.5 miles long and includes nine total stops. Before people start though, Bannish had a key bit of advice for potential sightseers.
“It’s important if you start at the Athenaeum to get the key for the Old Burying Ground,” she said. Bannish said that the most interesting stop on the tour is probably the Old Burying Ground, but people may be disappointed if they get there and cannot get in.
