Clio gets upgrade thanks to grants

Because of generous grants and donations, the Clio history app developed by Marshall University history professor David Trowbridge has been updated to version 2.0.

Created originally in 2013, Clio, named in honor of the ancient muse of history, has grown to include over 30,000 landmarks and 600 walking tours throughout the United States as hundreds of universities, historical societies, museums and libraries have created individual entries and walking tours in their communities, including New York University and Harvard University. There are now to 80 complete walking tours here in West Virginia alone.

The upgrades are thanks to an $81,398 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, along with another $60,000 NEH matching grant that was equally met by donations from the community, including the Maier Foundation in Charleston.

Entries now include text-to-speech as well as the option of adding narration to include local voices, oral history clips, and to come as close as possible to the feeling of a guided walking tour. For example, Huntington City Hall's entry now includes audio from Mayor Steve Williams, as if he was leading a tour of city hall himself.