Specifically, ask one of the 11 middle-school students who have studied the neighborhood between East Campus and Club Boulevard and made an interactive computer map, complete with photographs and census data, to show for it.

"Right there is George Wall's house," said Germal Evans, 13, pointing to the computer screen. "That's who founded Walltown."

He touched a camera-shaped icon and a present-day streetscape opened.

"You see the house is run down a little bit," Germal said. "It's not the house he originally did; pieces have been added on for a while. But it's probably the same foundations and probably about the same size."

Clicking another icon overlaid the present-day satellite view with a street map from the 1930s.

"Onslow used to be called Third Street," Germal said.

"And Berkely used to be Fourth," said Fernando Alejo, 12.

Germal, Fernando and nine other rising seventh- and eighth-graders are doing The Walltown Neighborhood History Project, a five-week summer camp Duke University historian Trudi Abel is leading at the Carter Community School on West Club Boulevard.

"We're doing something that is new and different," Abel said. "Having them work with historical materials and try to create something that will help illuminate something about the history of this neighborhood."

In the process, they've gained some knowledge of local history - along with knowledge of using GIS and GPS technology, census data, digital maps, spreadsheets, cameras and statistics to open up the area's past.

George Wall, the namesake, was a member of the Trinity College staff who came to Durham with the college in 1892 and settled north of the campus. The neighborhood developed mostly in the 1910s and 20s, primarily with rental housing for black tobacco-factory employees and their families.

Among the information Abel's campers have uncovered:

The average monthly rent for a Walltown house in 1930: $11.56.

The average age of heads of households: 38.

The effect of mandatory school attendance: in 1880 many Durham 13-year-olds were working; in 1930, they weren't.

"A very fascinating observation," Abel said.

Green icons on the base map indicate addresses that the youngsters have researched. With a touch, they open to reveal the names, ages, race, occupations and employers of the people who lived there in 1930. For instance, at 1013 Third St. lived Alolphaus Davis, male, 56, janitor; along with Adal Davis, female, 48, not employed; John Davis, male, 14, not employed; and Calvin Davis, male, 82, not employed; all four, "Negro."

Casey Dunn, a Duke sophomore assisting with the camp, touched the map and with the move of a finger rotated it, then tilted it for a low-angle view.

"Amazing," said Fernando.

"You're always learning, every day, in this class," said Germal.

In all, the campers have compiled and mapped data on more than 200 residences using the 1930 census for Walltown and making comparisons with 1880 census data for the town as a whole. They're making a formal presentation of their summer's work Thursday, for a select audience at the Nasher Museum of Art.

"It's a work in progress," Abel said. "This is a sliver of this neighborhood" that future summer campers, or others, might pick up and carry on.

The information itself, and what can be done with it, has been pretty new all around, Fernando said.

"We got used to it, though," he said. "It was fun. ... I might probably end up going into some electronics when I grow up."