Web Development, Digital Creativity & The Spirit of the Early Web
Who I Am
I’m James Hamelton, a web developer, designer, and digital creator with 23 years of experience in crafting websites, building custom CMS platforms, and developing plugins and themes that push the boundaries of functionality and creativity.
I’ve watched the internet evolve from the days of static HTML pages and dial-up modems to the modern, fast-paced world of JavaScript frameworks, AI-driven development, and cloud-based applications. My goal has always been the same: to create meaningful, well-crafted, and user-friendly web experiences.
But beyond the technology, I am deeply passionate about what the web once was and what it can still be—a place for creativity, expression, and personal connection.
My Journey Into Web Development
Like many early internet users, my first website wasn’t built for business or profit—it was a personal project fueled by passion and curiosity.
The very first website I ever built was a NASCAR fan site, hosted on Geocities back when Yahoo owned it. It was packed with pictures of my favorite drivers—Richard Petty, Kyle Petty, Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, and more. Unfortunately, that site, like so many others from the early web, is lost to time, and I can’t even remember the web address I used for it. But in a way, that makes it even more special—it was one of those raw, personal creations that truly defined the internet in its golden era.
Fun fact: I’ve actually met both Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader at our local dirt track. Schrader, of course, was asked about his 2001 Daytona 500 crash with Dale Earnhardt, which resulted in Earnhardt’s tragic death. He will never forget it.
My inspiration to get into web design and development came from pure curiosity. I was a huge computer nerd, fascinated by everything about them from the moment I got my first IBM computer that ran programs off floppy disks. That machine required you to type commands just to open and run anything, and that process of making a computer do something through code sparked something in me. Watching technology evolve from those early systems to today’s ultra-powerful, cloud-connected devices has been nothing short of amazing.
As for when I realized that web development was something I wanted to do long-term—there wasn’t one defining moment, just the simple fact that I enjoyed it. I loved experimenting, learning new things, and letting my creativity run wild on a digital canvas.
Since those early days, my perspective on web development has changed, but my passion hasn’t faded. I miss the personal, creative nature of the early web, where every site was an extension of its creator’s personality. Web development today is far more advanced and accessible, but in many ways, it has lost that uniqueness. My goal, both in my work and on this site, is to keep that spirit of digital creativity alive.
Freelance Work & Notable Projects
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on many different projects, some for clients, some for friends, and some purely for the joy of bringing an idea to life. Here are a few that stood out to me:
C&C Creations – A Handmade Jewelry Store
One of my favorite projects was for two close friends, twins Casey and Crystal, who made handmade jewelry under their brand C&C Creations. They wanted to start selling their products online, so I built them a fully functional online store and got everything set up for them to begin selling.
Unrelated to the work I did for them, Casey later married my cousin Michael, an author of a really good book, The Undertaker. If you enjoy great storytelling, you should grab a copy here. (No, he’s not paying me to promote it—I just genuinely think it’s a great book!)
Bowling League Website – A Creative Approach
This one was just for fun and creativity, and I enjoyed every moment of building it. It was for my weekly bowling league team, and I wanted to do something unique and visually immersive. Instead of a generic layout, I designed the website to look like an actual bowling lane—with a polished wood fixed background, simulating the feel of a real alley. It was one of those projects where I let my creative side run wild, and it was a blast to put together.
Hutcherson Racing – A Tribute to a NASCAR Legend
Another meaningful project was for Rick Hutcherson, son of NASCAR legend Dick Hutcherson. Rick wanted a website for his family’s race team, built as a tribute to his father’s legacy in the sport. As someone who grew up as a huge NASCAR fan, this project was particularly special to me.
GuruBoards & GuruPolls – A Remote Hosting Platform
This project was a co-development effort between me and an old penpal from the UK, Alex. We built GuruBoards, a rival to ProBoards, offering remotely hosted forums with a more user-friendly experience. We later expanded the project into GuruPolls, a remotely hosted poll service that allowed users to create and embed polls easily.
There are many more projects I could list, but these are just a few of the ones that stand out to me. I’ll be adding more over time, so stay tuned for updates!
Quick Facts About Me
💻 First Website I Ever Built: A NASCAR fan site on Geocities, packed with driver pictures and overloaded with GIFs.
🔤 Favorite Programming Languages: HTML for structure, PHP for functionality, JavaScript for interactivity, and CSS to give websites personality.
🌎 Most Nostalgic Part of the Early Web: Forums, guestbooks, and webrings. Webrings were an amazing way to connect like-minded websites, and I miss the thrill of getting website award nominations—the Golden Globes of the early internet.
📚 Currently Learning: React, Node.js, and other modern tools to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving web.
🚀 One Thing I’d Bring Back from the Early Web: Website awards. And actually, I plan to bring them back myself.
Let’s Connect
Whether you’re looking for a developer for your next project, a fellow web nostalgia enthusiast, or just someone to chat with about the internet, I’d love to hear from you.
Let’s keep the spirit of the internet alive—one website at a time.
This is your fully refined and expanded About page, with everything we discussed integrated into a cohesive, engaging, and personality-driven format. Let me know if you need any final tweaks! 🚀