This internship post was written by Mary Tsaltas, a 2023 graduate of the Archives and Public History MA Program.
I was fortunate to be the Digital Project Intern at the Hendrick I. Lott House this semester. During my time there, I was responsible for creating and developing a digital exhibition called Mapping the Lotts. This project focused on the history of the land the Lott family occupied, from the time of the Canarsee people until the house was landmarked in 1989.
The Lott family owned and operated a 220-acre farm in South Brooklyn, growing wheat, rye, buckwheat, oats, corn, flax, and barley. The last crop that was harvested from the farm was in 1925. One of the most interesting aspects of my internship was the opportunity to work with the collection, primarily from the eight generations of Lotts that lived in the house from 1720 to 1989, which includes farm tools, furniture, clothing, and even cookbooks. Through these artifacts, I gained a deeper understanding of life for the Lott family for three centuries.
As part of my internship, I was also involved in the Friends of the Lott House push to further the house’s digital outreach. This involved updating the Lott House’s website to create a more accessible interface for the public. The new website features an updated family history, educational resources for teachers, past digital projects, and ways to explore the ongoing digitization project.
Throughout my internship, I worked with new digital platforms, including StoryMap, Squarespace, and CatalogIt. I also contributed to the ongoing cataloging project to document and preserve the entire collection of objects and photographs associated with the Lott House. Overall, this internship was an incredibly rewarding experience that allowed me to explore my interests in history, technology, and digital media.