Historical GIS and Spatial Humanities

There are a few different software options for Historical GIS and spatial humanities research but the main ones are going to be Esri's ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online or open source software such as QGIS. All Michigan Tech students, faculty, and staff have access to ArcGIS Pro software and ArcGIS Online through their Michigan Tech SSO login. To get started with Esri products at Michigan Tech, please see my guide on ACCESSING ESRI GIS SOFTWARE AND WEB APPLICATIONS AT MICHIGAN TECH: ACCESSING ESRI WEB APPLICATIONS.

Desktop and cloud-based GIS Software in Historical GIS and the spatial humanities is often used for georeferencing historical maps, digitizing features from historical maps, and geocoding Census records or city directories. GIS software also has the capability of creating spatial 3D models for creating realistic 3D representations of what cities or towns looked like in the past.

• ArcGIS Pro
  Commercial GIS software from ESRI. This software can be downloaded to your own personal computer or used through AppsAnywhere at Michigan Tech.
• ArcGIS Online
  A cloud-based web mapping platform allowing users to create, use, and store spatial data. Users can collaborate with specific groups. 
• QGIS
  Free and open source GIS software. Will run on a variety of different operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

There are numerous desktop and online commercial and open source tools available for Historical GIS and spatial humanities research. These tools will assist you by allowing you to create interactive GIS applications, geocode historical records, georeference historical maps, and create 3D representations of the past. 

• ArcGIS StoryMaps
  Use your historical GIS datasets, maps, and photographs to build a Story Map to tell stories and provide insights into the past. Users can easily build stories from pre-made templates or customize your own. Stories can include maps, text, lists, images, videos, and embedded content. 
• StoryMap JS
  Free and easy to use web-based tool for creating story maps. With this tool you can tell stories that highlight the locations of a series of events. You can use this tool without knowledge of GIS.
• Map Warper
  Georeference scanned map images or photos in this online web interface. You can then download and use the map in GIS software or applications. 
• Geocoding with ArcGIS Online
  Geocoding through ArcGIS Online is free for Michigan Tech students, faculty, and staff. No desktop GIS software required.
• US Census Geocoder
  The US Census provides a free online geocoding tool which will allow you to geocode a single record or batch geocode multiple records up to 10,000. 
• Geocoding in ArcGIS Pro
  Michigan Tech students, faculty, and staff can geocode records using Esri's ArcGIS Pro software.
• Blender
  Open source and free 3D Modeling and animation software. Users can create 3D models and import them into ArcGIS Pro. 
• SketchUp
  Commercial 3D modeling software that is simple to learn. Models can be created and then imported into ArcGIS Pro software.