Local History Mapping
In order to preserve our history, and engage a younger audience to the cause, we must bring historical context into modern systems. That's why we're launching the Local History Mapping project.
Together with local volunteers as passionate about history as we are, we're building a system that allows people to visualize the historical census population data in a way never seen before.
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Census data is critical for genealogists and family history enthusiasts, but did you know that it can be used as a foundation upon which a cultural resource program in your community can be built? Historical enumeration district maps are jam-packed full of interesting geographic information. Historical people were enumerated within geographic enumeration district boundaries. This means that you can click on an enumeration district boundary and retrieve information about all of the people who lived within that boundary, at any time in history - dating back to 1790!
You won't find this on Ancestry.com or any other genealogical website.
We collect any historical maps relevant to your community, including the aforementioned census enumeration district maps, Sanborn fire insurance maps, historical plat books and atlases maps, ward maps, subdivision surveys, and plats of records. These collections of maps serve as the setting of your local history. We provide the historical people enumerated in the federal census records linked to the geographic boundaries in which they lived, and you provide your community's historical asset data with attribute information - think historical architecture, parks, landmarks, memories and stories. When you bring all of these things together, a cultural fabric emerges and you now have a tool that can be used to foster community by giving people a sense of shared identity.
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This is an exciting project, and I'm thrilled to watch it grow.
If you want to see where an ancestor lived, or you want to be a part of building your community's cultural resources, you should check this out. Get in touch for a demonstration.
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The Local History Map Team
This project is proudly brought to you by these wonderful ladies who took a chance and thought mapping historical census data was a fun idea! They are the first to offer their time and consideration for this project and I am so grateful to them. Thank you Cheryl, Diane, and Mary!
Together, we launched something special that our community can use to explore our local history and the people who helped build it. Phase two is coming in the spring of 2025. Location to be announced closer to that date. Look back here as details firm up.
Local history is an integral part of the broader field of Spatial Humanities. We're doing our part to use technology, mapping systems and web design to communicate the value of our historical assets and culture. We would love for you to join us in this mission. If you think your organization could benefit from having an interactive cultural resources mapping application in your community, please do reach out!
