Markeroni: The Gentle Art of Landmark Snarfing

Markeroni provides information to help you find historical landmarks in your area. You find them, visit them, and record them in your personal log book on the site. All you technically need is yourself and access to the internet, but most members also bring a camera and notebook to document their visit. GPS coordinates for many markers are also available on the site.

In order for a landmark to count as a snarf on Markeroni, it must fall into one of the following categories:

• Any signs, plaques or markers that give information about history (or, sometimes, natural history)
  
• Monuments and statues so long as they depict a figure in history (i.e., not art and not religious icons)
  
• Memorial plaques so long as they give more information about the person than just their name and dates
  
• Landmarks that have been designated (given some kind of legal protection) at the national, regional or town level
  
• War memorials
  
• Museums--but you have to actually go inside and visit the museum before you can log it!

Currently the Markeroni database only covers the USA, Canada, British Isles, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. A worldwide database is in progress.

Participation in the site is completely free, but you can gain additional features with a premium membership, including the ability to "direct log" a marker not already in the system (as opposed to requesting it, waiting for it to be added, then logging your visit). After covering about half its operating costs, 10% of Markeroni's proceeds go toward historical preservation.

Markeroni was founded on August 13th, 2003 by Linda Gentile, owner of Annwn Web Creations LLC, who also runs the site, though many data entry and verification tasks are performed by volunteers. According to Linda, the idea of Markeroni began as a month-long solo motorcycle tour of historical markers in California. The trip was canceled due to mechanical problems, but Linda decided to share her interest with the world, providing a site to help others find historical markers, "which seemed to move around at night."

Markeroon: A member of Markeroni.

Snarf: As a noun, the actual visit to a historical landmark. As a verb, the act of hunting for these landmarks. (If you aren't fond of the term "snarf", it's perfectly okay to call it "landmark hunting".)

Snarfari: Any excursion made for the specific purpose of snarfing landmarks.

Mascot: A small item, often a plush toy, to "pose" with the markers in snarf photographs.

Kudos: Colored stars next to a member's name indicating how many landmarks they've logged. When you hit ten you get a red star after your name. After 25 you get an orange star, and so on right up to 10,000. (As of this writing, the busiest Markeroon is WanderingRaleighite with more than 6600 snarfs.) Members can purchase souvenir patches and pins for various kudos levels in the Markeroni Shop.

Flame: Annual premium membership available for purchase in the Markeroni Shop.

Stardom/White Support Stars: Premium membership earned by contributing money or time to Markeroni.

The Challenge: Markeroni hosts an annual challenge which runs from January 1st to December 31st. The challenge is to photograph yourself or a mascot with 25, 50, or 100 historic landmarks. It costs $10 to join; the fee helps cover operating costs of the site. Winners get a month of Stardom and a little badge in their profile.

The Forum: Chat with other Markeroons on a variety of topics.

Education: Integrate Markeroni into your lesson plans.

Free Printables: Download Markeroni-themed bookmarks and BookCrossing labels.

The Store: Markeroni sells a variety of merchandise, including a paper log book, kudos patches and pins, t-shirts, and a book.

• Markeroni Main Page
  
• Historical Landmark Resources
  
• Markeroni on Twitter
  
• Founder's Freelance Writing
  
• Markeroni CafePress
  
• A Little Twist of Texas, a memoir that mentions Markeroni
  
• Markeroni on Flickr
  
• Markeroni on Facebook (open to members only)
  
• BookCrossing History Challenge (combines BookCrossing with Markeroni)
  
• Contact Markeroni