http://www.mohistory.org/content/fair/wf/html/index_flash.html#

Held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis was a truly monumental undertaking, and even more so when one considers that the Fair played host to the Olympic Games as well. Paying homage to that historic gathering and exhibition is this fine site, developed by the Missouri Historical Society in conjunction with an ongoing exhibition on the Fair. The site itself provides an overview of the World's Fair, along with a valuable virtual tour of the fairgrounds and period artifacts that were originally exhibited 100 years ago. The virtual tour is particularly engaging, as it allows visitors a birds-eye diagrammatic view of the layout of the fair, and the opportunity to learn about over 20 of the fair's main structures. Along with this feature, visitors can also take a tour of The Pike, which featured such novel locales as the baby incubator display (which was quite an innovation for its time) and the Irish Village. Overall, the site offers some general insights into the historical significance of the World's Fair and its imprint on American culture. [KMG]

http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/

There is much talk in artistic circles about what is that the Web can offer in terms of a new dimension or a new medium for creating art. The Scribbler may be one of the very few Web-based offerings that actually uses the interactivity of the Internet and the randomness of a design software to allow a user to sketch a drawing and then have The Scribbler enhance it -- that is, seek to draw what your mind's eye may be seeing but your untrained hands cannot put on paper. As is noted at the site, "When a new scribble line is created it chooses a few numbers at random that eventually determine what sort of line it will draw. As it begins to draw it fine tunes those values to the type of drawing that you've made." If you enjoy doodling on paper, you'll have try doodling using the Scribbler online. [JPM]

http://www.secstate.wa.gov/history/

It would seem that every state has a special site dedicated to exploring local and regional history, and Washington is no exception. Working with materials provided by the state library and the state archives, the Secretary of State's office has created these thematic collections of documents, photographs, and archival records for the curious public and researchers. The collections include a number of searchable record databases, including the Washington Census and Naturalization Records, a remembrance of World War I Soldiers, and a territorial timeline that features photographs and documents related to the area's history during this long period. The real standout feature of the site is the Classics in Washington History area, where visitors can peruse the original versions of such narratives as "Ox-team days on the Oregon Trail" by Ezra Meeker and "Pioneer days on Puget Sound" by Seattle founding father, Arthur Denny. [KMG]

http://www.cartalk.com/

Avid listeners of National Public Radio (NPR) will be intimately familiar with the frenetic and informed commentary of Tom and Ray Magliozzi on their long-running radio show, Car Talk. On the site, visitors can read biographies of the brothers, listen to their radio program, and of course, submit questions for their erudite consideration. One very relevant section of the site is the Actual Car Information area. Here visitors can read reports of new automobile models, read about hybrid electric vehicles, and learn about incentives offered by different major automobile manufacturers. Visitors will also not want to miss the As Read on Car Talk section, which features an archive of the many entertaining letters received (and read aloud on the program) by the duo since 1996. The site concludes with a list of helpful summer driving tips and material on safety recalls as well. [KMG]

http://www.bohemianopera.com/

While a night at the opera may seem like a rather stuffy outing to some, this spectacular fusion of music and drama remains an enthralling experience that is enjoyed around the world in a variety of guises. The Bohemian Opera website will be a delight to those fans of the medium, and may serve as a gateway for those with a bit of curiosity. On the site, visitors can browse through side-by-side libretti for such enduring favorites as Madame Butterfly and La Boheme. Another fun feature is the ability to find out where various pieces of opera music (arias, duets, preludes, and so on) have been used in different films. Specifically, visitors can look to see where Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, and Beethoven have had their musical endeavors appropriated. Not surprisingly, Beethoven's music has been used literally hundreds of times during the history of motion pictures. [KMG]

http://www.maritimetrails.org/

While most people may not know it, 22 percent of the state of Wisconsin is actually underwater. Amidst all of this water, there are numerous shipwrecks, which represent part of the state's important historical past. As part of a partnership between the Wisconsin Historical Society and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, this informative website was designed "to foster wider public appreciation of the state's rich maritime past and encourage preservation of unique historic sites." On the site, visitors can research a searchable database of Wisconsin shipwrecks, read field notes from underwater archaeologists, and learn about visiting various maritime sights, including lighthouses, museums and, of course, shipwreck sites. The real highlight of the site is the video gallery, which allows visitors to take underwater tours of over ten different shipwreck sites in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior without ever getting wet. Finally, the site is rounded out by the inclusion of educational materials designed for teachers and young people. [KMG]