THATcamp Columbus » Stephen Titchenal http://thatcampcolumbus.org The Humanities and Technology Camp in Ohio Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:55:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Georeferencing History http://thatcampcolumbus.org/2009/12/22/georeferencing-history/ http://thatcampcolumbus.org/2009/12/22/georeferencing-history/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:51:30 +0000 Stephen Titchenal http://thatcampcolumbus.org/?p=395 I have always been fascinated by maps, photos and old documents depicted in history books. These primary source materials can bring historical research alive for students. I always wished I could easily view and share them at the original full size (or larger) rather than the tiny or incomplete reproductions often available. Digital technology now makes that possible. I have spent many years digitizing resources and experimenting with methods of sharing them online in high resolution. Recently I have begun georeferencing these resources so they can be viewed in geographic and historical context. The new smart phones with web and gps will be another interesting way to share digital history in the field. I look forward to sharing what I have learned, and finding out more about what others have done. We need to find better ways to coordinate digital projects so they are easier to find, use, preserve and collaborate on.

To view some of the high resolution maps and other resources I have scanned in cooporation with many libraries and historical societies,  check out railsandtrails.com. You will need to install the free DjVu browser plug-in and the Google Earth application. These will allow you to quickly view and navigate these resources full screen at high resolution. I have recently begun georeferencing historic maps of Ohio in high resolution for Google Earth.

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