GovArchive.us Mirrors Key U.S. Government Websites Live

🟢 Introduction

Have you ever visited a government website and later found it missing or changed completely? That’s where GovArchive.us steps in. It’s a project started by Webrecorder to save important U.S. government websites as full working copies, known as mirrors.

🧠 What Is Webrecorder?

Webrecorder is a nonprofit project that builds tools to save and replay web pages. It was created by web archiving expert Ilya Kreymer. Webrecorder lets people record websites as they browse and play them back later, just like a video recording.

🔗 Visit Webrecorder Official Website

🌐 What Is GovArchive.us?

GovArchive.us is a dedicated website launched by Webrecorder. It hosts mirrors of official U.S. government websites on new subdomains, like:

• usaid.govarchive.us
• cdc.govarchive.us

These websites work just like the original ones but are stored safely for future access. The links inside pages still work, which is a huge win!

🎯 Why Is GovArchive Important?

Here’s why this is a big deal:

• 🕸️ Government websites often change or disappear
• 📰 Journalists and researchers need unchanged sources
• 📚 Students and educators can access factual, reliable info
• 🔍 Makes the government more transparent

According to a Harvard Law study, more than 50% of links in legal documents become broken over time.

⚙️ How GovArchive Works

GovArchive uses an open-source tool called Browsertrix. It:

1. Crawls government websites.
2. Records every clickable link, media file, and JavaScript feature.
3. Stores the site as a working copy with the same look and feel.
4. Publishes it under a .govarchive.us subdomain.

🪞 What Are ‘Mirrors’ of Websites?

A “mirror” in tech means an exact copy of a website, stored elsewhere. Think of it like a backup twin.

But GovArchive’s mirrors are not only copies. They are:

• Fully interactive
• Clickable
• With working links

So, even if the original disappears, this mirror stays alive and functional.

🏛️ Government Websites Already Archived

Here’s the list of the first U.S. government websites mirrored by GovArchive:

🔸 1. USAID – usaid.govarchive.us

Focuses on U.S. foreign aid and development.

🔸 2. CDC – cdc.govarchive.us

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, especially during health emergencies.

🔸 3. FEMA – fema.govarchive.us

Disaster management and emergency response.

🔸 4. EPA – epa.govarchive.us

Environmental protection, pollution control, and green laws.

🔸 5. NOAA/Climate.gov – climate.govarchive.us

Climate data, weather, and environmental research.

🔧 Technology Behind GovArchive

GovArchive is powered by:

• Browsertrix Crawler – captures dynamic websites.
• Web Replay Tools – lets you browse archived sites like the real thing.
• WACZ Format – a modern web archive file format.
• Open-Source Code – free for anyone to use.

🔗 Check Browsertrix on GitHub

🤖 What Is Browsertrix?

Browsertrix is a modern tool that captures websites as they are, including JavaScript, forms, and interactive maps.

Benefits:

• 📸 Real screenshots
• 🧠 JavaScript support
• 🗂️ Saves everything in a WACZ file
• 🔓 Free and open-source

✅ Key Benefits of GovArchive

• No need to depend on the original site
• Keeps information safe during political changes
• Can be shared and cited in reports
• Archives dynamic content, not just static pages
• Free and open to everyone

🧑‍🎓 Who Can Use GovArchive?

GovArchive is useful for:

• 👨‍🏫 Teachers and students
• 🕵️ Journalists and reporters
• 📜 Legal experts and historians
• 👥 Everyday citizens

No account or sign-up is needed.

📊 Data Table: Archived Websites on GovArchive

Website	Archived URL	Focus Area
USAID	usaid.govarchive.us	Foreign aid & development
CDC	cdc.govarchive.us	Health & diseases
FEMA	fema.govarchive.us	Emergency response
EPA	epa.govarchive.us	Environment protection
Climate.gov (NOAA)	climate.govarchive.us	Climate data & research

📈 Comparison Table: GovArchive vs Other Archives

Feature	GovArchive.us	Wayback Machine	Archive.today
Real-time browsing	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Working original links	✅ Yes	⚠️ Partial	❌ No
Open-source technology	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
JavaScript capture	✅ Full support	⚠️ Limited	⚠️ Limited
Modern WACZ file format	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No

🔒 Security and Privacy

GovArchive follows best practices:

• No tracking or user profiling
• HTTPS encryption
• Hosted securely by trusted nonprofit infrastructure

🔮 Future Plans for GovArchive

Webrecorder plans to:

• Add more .gov domains regularly
• Allow users to submit site suggestions
• Support archiving of state-level government sites
• Release a public API for developers

🧾 Conclusion

GovArchive.us is a smart, powerful solution for saving U.S. government websites just the way they are. It helps protect information for future generations, supports democracy, and ensures that knowledge remains open and free.

❓ FAQs