Date of Graduation
2003
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
Committee Chair
Timothy Warner
Committee Chair
Timothy Warner
Abstract
Geomorphology of the Presque Isle peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania is inherently unstable. Since its initial development 3,500 years before present, long shore drift has caused the peninsula to migrate east across the Long Point-Erie moraine. Erosion on the western shoreline has breached the connection of the peninsula to the mainland 4 times in the past 200 years. The harbor, created by Presque Isle, has been paramount in the development and sustained existence of industry in Erie. The natural shallow entrance to the bay was bypassed in 1827 by the construction of a deep entrance to the harbor. Success of the harbor entrance construction led to an interest in controlling the natural forces that affect Presque Isle. Initially, the preservation of the neck of the peninsula was not very successful; as shown by the peninsula migration in the historical GIS created for this research Remote sensing and GIS provided a useful tool in studying the historical geography of Presque Isle, especially in identifying the spatial aspects of historical phenomena and understanding links between humans and their environment. Remote sensing aided in documenting the economic transition from industrial to recreational activities as a result of de-industrialization within the harbor.
Recommended Citation
Schaney, Christopher, "The history of Presque Isle and the city of Erie, Pennsylvania: A remote sensing case study." (2003). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD). 10780.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10780