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Historical Colby

This Libraries-led initiative transforms the College’s archival collections into a collaborative, published history of the places, people, and events that have shaped Colby. Envisioned as a digital living history, the platform invites the community into a process of discovery and storytelling through direct engagement with the archives.

Beyond a repository, this platform serves as a pedagogical tool. The Libraries are developing a framework to empower students, faculty, and other community members to co-create exhibits. These contributions will expand the narrative beyond our physical spaces, capturing the diverse stories and events that continue to shape Colby.

FIRST STEPS: Colby As Place

“Colby As Place” is our inaugural series of digital exhibits within the Historical Colby platform and unfolds in three phases to tell an ever-expanding story of the College’s evolving physical presence. Beginning with a reconstruction of its earliest campus and extending outward to its present landscape and broader geographic reach, the project uses digital tools and materials from our archival collections to create a layered, narrative-driven account of place, change, and institutional identity.

Phase I: The Historic Downtown Campus: The project begins with a digital reconstruction of Colby’s original Waterville location. Since the campus no longer exists, this phase provides an interactive entry point, using historical maps, building profiles, and timelines to reconstruct the physical environment from archival records. COMPLETE

Phase II: Mayflower Hill: Following the successful launch of Phase I, the platform will be expanded to include the current Mayflower Hill campus, and downtown Waterville facilities. This phase will mirror the interactive map and timeline architecture of Phase I, while incorporating multimedia elements to provide a comparative and comprehensive history of Colby’s two homes. FALL 2026

Phase III: Colby Beyond Waterville: This phase will expand the geographic scope to include the history of the College’s physical presence outside Waterville, acknowledging Colby’s longstanding and evolving reach beyond its primary campuses. SPRING 2027

 

FUTURE EXHIBITS: Become a Community Curator

The physical campuses are just the beginning of this collaborative, living history. Colby Libraries are actively developing a framework to partner with students, faculty, and other community members. This initiative will empower community contributors to engage in archival research and curate digital exhibits that tell the stories of the people, places, and events that have shaped Colby. JANUARY 2027

 

ABOUT

This project is a collaboration between the Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives and Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Technologies departments, including:

  • Kathryn Donahue, Associate Director and Head of Special Collections and Archives
  • Bevan Fogdall ‘24, SC&A Collections Coordinator
  • SC&A Student Assistants
    • Rafi Aronson ’27
    • Libby Margaretten ‘27
  • Darylyne Provost Cyr, Associate Director and Head of Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Technologies

We also gratefully acknowledge our colleagues at Bates College for generously sharing the code that made this project possible.