In keeping with the tradition we started last January 1, let’s take a look back at the development of MissPres in 2010.

This year, we added four new authors, beginning with W. White in March, Jack Elliott in May, Thomas J. Rosell in July, and picking up the News Roundup in October, JRGordon. Thanks to these contributors, and Mr. Tom Barnes, who’s been around since almost the beginning, MissPres has developed in new ways, has broadened its audience, and brings new perspectives on old issues. The door is always open for new authors: if you love Mississippi’s history–specifically as it relates to its built environment–and believe in preserving that history and want to share your interests with others, just shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see where it goes from there.

Now for the stats for 2010, the first full year for our little blog:

General Stats (Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2009)

Page Views: 70,817 (89,256 all-time)
Posts: 288 (580 total)
Comments: 1951 (2560 total)
Busiest day: 635 views on February 4, 2010 (this was a Name this Place contest week)
Busiest month: 7,966 (December 2010)
E-mail Subscribers: 64 (from 6 in 2009)

Top Posts for 2010

• 1843 views–Abandoned Mississippi: Mt. Holly, Lake Washington (Feb 25, 2010)
• 1038 views–Help build a list of required Mississippi places (Dec. 3, 2010)
• 748 views–Abandoned Mississippi: School for the Blind (July 6, 2009)
• 680 views–Abandoned Mississippi: Central Delta Academy, Inverness (July 27, 2010)
• 632 views–Katrina Survivors: Charnley House(s), Ocean Springs (Sept 2, 2009)
• 629 views–Abandoned Mississippi: Yazoo County Agricultural High School (Aug 20,  2009)
• 620 views–Update on Mississippi Industrial College (it’s not good) (May 18, 2010)
• 619 views–The Edgewater Gulf Hotel, Queen of the Coast (Nov 19, 2009)
• 583 views–Pleasure Domes Past…Biloxi’s Broadwater Beach (May 19, 2010)

Most Highly Rated Posts (Thumbs up)

• 13 thumbs up–Gulfport’s Markham Hotel, Threatened Pillar of Main Street (May 5, 2010)
• 11 thumbs up–Historic Sheetrock? You betcha! (Mar 11, 2010)
• 11 thumbs up–Progress of a sort in Hattiesburg (Mar 31, 2010)
• 11 thumbs up–Preservapedia (Nov. 30, 2010)
• 10 thumbs up–Abandoned Mississippi: Mt. Holly, Lake Washington (Feb 25, 2010)

Most Comments on a Post

• 212 comments–Help build a list of required Mississippi places
• 51 comments–Name This Place 4.3
• 41 comments–Abandoned Mississippi: Mt. Holly, Lake Washington
• 38 comments–Abandoned Mississippi: Central Delta Academy, Inverness
• 35 comments–Three Round Banks
• 31 comments–Update on Mississippi Industrial College (it’s not good)
• 29 comments–In Memoriam: William R. Henry (1925-2010)

What do these statistics tell us? Well, MissPres has gained more regular readers than it had last year, by a large multiple, and these regular readers have started feeling comfortable leaving comments and even becoming authors to express their opinions and interests, which is one major goal I had when I started the blog in Feb 2009.

Have we saved any buildings this year that wouldn’t have been saved otherwise? How will we ever know? As I’ve mentioned before, the jury is still out in my opinion about the tangible value of social media as an advocacy tool. I read a fascinating perspective on this topic in the New Yorker a couple months ago, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. By Malcolm Gladwell, it’s titled “Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted” and I highly recommend it as a thought-provoking beginning to your new year.

Happy 2011, y’all!

Categories: Historic Preservation