[Tagging] Feature Proposal - RFC - historic=marker

[Eric Polk]

 > Is this identical to information=board with board_type=historic ??

They are similar in the information they present but there are 
structural differences the physical way they are presented.

Information boards are flat surfaces that either mounted in a table top 
form or vertically as a flat display.  The content of an information 
board is printed onto the material, often covered with a sheet of clear 
plastic.  The signs are held up by either pre-fabricated metal poles 
that are welded together or by a wooden framework.  This format of 
presenting information is relatively inexpensive and easy to reproduce 
if replacement is needed.

Historical markers are often made in the form of monuments of stonework, 
are set in large stones, or are placed on poles.  The marker itself is a 
metal plate that is either embossed, cast, or stamped with the text of 
the marker.  This format of presenting information is expensive to 
initially produce and replace if damaged due to the more permanent 
nature of the materials used.

The agency that creates the content is also different between the two.

Information boards are created by a wide range of agencies, companies, 
or organizations.  No formal list is kept of the information boards and 
there is no formal set of criteria for what makes the site valid for 
recognition.

By contrast, historical markers are usually placed by governmental 
agencies that have a set of criteria that they use to determine the 
historic importance and relevance of a site before authorizing a 
marker.  Official lists are kept of the sites and new additions must be 
submitted for review.

There are a few exceptions to the governmental role in the placement of 
some historical markers.  There are a number of organizations that do 
place historical markers, sometimes in cooperation with government 
agencies, and other times independently.  Examples are the Native Sons 
and Daughters of the Golden West and the Daughters of the American 
Revolution.  These organizations often have historical preservation as 
one of their goals and do have standards for what qualifies as a 
historic marker site.

My overall reason for not tagging historic markers as information boards 
is that the are physically similar to monuments and memorials.