Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Geology and Geography
Committee Chair
Trevor Harris
Committee Member
Melissa Bingmann
Committee Member
Jamison Conley
Committee Member
Kenneth Martis
Committee Member
Matthew Vester
Abstract
The intent of this study is to design a geospatial information system capable of facilitating the extraction and analysis of the fragmentary snapshots of history contained in hand-written historical documents. This customized system necessarily bypasses off-the-shelf GIS in order to support these unstructured primary historical research materials and bring long dormant spatial stories previously hidden in archives, libraries, and other documentary storage locations to life. The software platform discussed here integrates the tasks of information extraction, data management, and analysis while simultaneously giving primary emphasis to supporting the spatial and humanistic analysis and interpretation of the data contents. The premise of this research study is that by integrating the collection of data, the extraction of content, and the analysis of information from what has traditionally been post-data collection analysis and research process, more efficient processing and more effective historical research can be achieved.
Recommended Citation
SCHINDLING, JAMES P., "The Spatial Historian: Creating a Spatially Aware Historical Research System" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7657.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7657