Consider refactoring `HistoricalRecords.__init__()`

[kseever]

Problem Statement
This initializer has grown quite a bit over time - now up to 17 parameters. This makes it both hard to reason about and harder still to change.

Describe the solution you'd like
At minimum, coalescing some arguments using something like the introduce parameter object pattern.

Describe alternatives you've considered
Builder is an alternative, though it doesn't seem as idiomatic in the Django plugin ecosystem.

[rossmechanic]

Should discuss possibilities for the best solution and develop a plan for deprecating some of the old arguments here. All ideas welcome.