LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — From centuries-old military gear to a 250-year-old medical syringe used to inject patients with mercury, some of the nation's rarest Revolutionary War treasures are about to become interactive 3D models online.
Two Louisville-based history organizations — the Frazier History Museum and the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution — have secured a $750,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to digitize their collections. Out of more than 100 applicants nationwide, only 33 received funding.
The project will transform 250 physical artifacts currently housed in Louisville into highly detailed, interactive digital models.Â
The Director of Education at the Sons of the American Revolution, Rae Ann Sauer, said the initiative directly addresses a challenge faced by educators: a lack of access to physical history.
"One of the things teachers tell us is that they would like more access to primary resources from this time period," Sauer said.
While the SAR currently maintains an online database, the existing files are limited to flat, 2D photos. To build a highly immersive experience, the organizations are partnering with Flyover Zone, a specialized tech company based in Bloomington, Indiana.
Flyover Zone will utilize 360-degree imaging, capturing hundreds of individual photos of each artifact from every conceivable angle. The resulting 3D models will allow anyone to rotate, zoom and inspect every detail of the objects using a computer mouse or mobile device.
"This will make them a lot more interactive and a lot more useful for people doing research on this time period," Sauer said.
The timing of the project holds deep significance as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.
"This kind of grant is good no matter when you get it," Sauer noted, "but coming in 2026 just makes it really special, and it just feels great to be able to commemorate the 250th of our country in this way."
An exact release date for the online database has not yet been set, but organizers hope the digitized models will serve as a permanent educational resource for generations to come.
For locals wanting to see the history in person, many of the physical artifacts will eventually be displayed at the Sons of the American Revolution’s brand-new museum, which is scheduled to open in downtown Louisville early next year.
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