Bringing a Historic Atlas New Life: "Atlas of the Historical Geography of the US"
Summary:
For centuries atlases have provided rich information about the world: maps, charts, and text densely packed into physical volumes. More recently, online mapping sites like Google Maps and MapQuest have made the exploration of geography common place again. The "Atlas of the Historical Geography of the US" from the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond has transformed an actual physical atlas into a multi-faceted digital presentation.
In this re-fashioned atlas, the authors have transformed the static, flat pages of the physical atlas into georectified, interactive maps. You can zoom in on a certain area just as you would in modern online map viewers, and even see underlying geography. Supplementary information -- including a legend, explanatory text, and the atlas' table of contents -- add to the richness of understanding and exploring the maps (and can all be turned on or off to suit your preferences). The authors have also included the nice feature of having the option to view the original plates in their un-georectified form, which can be nice for getting a sense for how the original atlas was presented.
One especially fun feature of this enlivened atlas comes through in certain interactive pages. The creators have worked in data behind the scenes, so that you get additional information by interacting with certain pages, such as a series of maps that show rates of travel to New York City for different years. When you hover over the map, the page returns the time, distance, and travel rate for that location.
Other maps have been enhanced with animations, essentially virtual flipbooks that page through sequential maps for you. The series of maps depicting the location of colonial towns is a good example of this. The expansion of settlements into Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire between 1750 and 1775 becomes incredibly stark (especially when compared to Connecticut).
Every time I open up the atlas I discover something new. From reproductions of historic cartography to maps of the cotton spinning industry and diminishing land holdings of Native Americans, the original, physical atlas held a treasure-trove of information. The team at the University of Richmond has brought these static plates new life in the digital age. Have fun exploring!
Original post blogged on b2evolution.
Content analysis:
Geographic context:
| Location | Country | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|
| Connecticut | US | 41.5178 | -72.7575 |
| Massachusetts | US | 42.1842 | -71.7182 |
| New Hampshire | US | 44.0012 | -71.6342 |
| New York | US | 40.7146 | -74.0071 |
| United States | US | 37.1679 | -95.845 |
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