Historical Geography and GIS

Historical GIS is the use of GIS data to document the given geography of an area in history.  GIS can be used in historical geography research to map out ancient areas and the changes in cities and places over time.

Pastmapper is a recent historical GIS project that is looking to create historical GIS data for different cities so that a snapshot of how a city looked in any given year can be accessed. The project is hoping to attract volunteers to help crowdsource the creation of historical GIS datasets. NHGIS (National Historical Geographic Information System) stores historical GIS data for census data and US boundary files dating as far back as 1790. The AAGs offers a historical GIS Clearinghouse and Forum as a “central reference point for scholars seeking to access or catalogue projects that apply geographic technologies to historical research.”

There are several academic institutions focused on the use of GIS in historical geography.  The Ancient World Mapping Center promotes cartography, historical geography and geographic information science as essential disciplines within the field of ancient studies through innovative and collaborative research, teaching, and community outreach activities.

Located at Stanford University, the Spatial History Project seeks to bring “together scholars working on projects at the intersection of geography and history using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in their research.” The projects listed marry geospatial technologies with historical research. Use the Google Earth to journey along with Alfred A. Hart, who between 1864 to 1869,took 364 pictures along the line of the Central Pacific Railroad.  Click on the photos along the trail route to see both historical and modern day photos of sites he photographed.  Or view a dynamic timeline of botany samples as they were collected across California between 1848 and 2008.

The Archaeology Data Service housed at the University of York has created Mapping Medieval Townscapes: A Digital Atlas of the New Towns of Edward I.  A group of researchers from Queens University Belfast, working with funds from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, created this digital atlas of the towns created by King Edward I between 1277 and 1303 such as Conwy, Newborough, Rhuddlan, and Aberystwyth. Drawing on the work of archaeologists, GIS experts, and other specialists, this atlas contains copious information on each locale. Visitors can look through each interactive map, and toggle various data layers, such as town walls, trenches, streets, and so on. Along with these maps, visitors can also read about how each map was created, and download the data sets used to generate each map.

Harvard University hosts the China Historical GIS site.  The site offers free access to GIS data covering Chinese history between 221 BCE and 1911 CE.  

A presentation from the 2002 Esri User Conference entitled Visualizing Urban History Using GIS reviews a case study that used GIS to study changes in Austin Texas over time.

GIS for History is a web site with lesson plans for teachers and project ideas for students on how to use historical census data and GIS to understand the history of the United States. The student level is aimed toward high school students and undergraduates.