GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, is a unique way to explain and show the history of a certain “space”, or as Bodenhammer puts it, “…the platform for multiplicity, a realm where all perspectives are particular and dependent upon experiences unique to an individual, a community, or a period of time” (14). So while we may look at an ArcGIS map as just a map of a location, it is much more than that. It tells the story of hundreds of years of history of individuals, groups of people, traditions and events.
In a GIS map, multiple layers of information can be portrayed to show an areas complex history. For example, in the area around the Susquehanna River, the map shows many Native American sites, colonial forts, Indian paths and other unique aspects of the area. Some of the paths have names such as, “Forbidden Path”, or “Warrior’s Path”. Their names, while we may not fully understand them, clearly carry with them some kind of alternate or deeper meaning. In the words of Bodenhammer, “All spaces contain embedded stories based on what has happened there. These stories are both individual and collective, and each of them link geography (space) and history (time)” (16). So these simple path names may have great significance to the people who named them, which connects the geography of the space to the history of the people or the event. The GIS map is able to portray this in a geographically and historically accurate way.
One of the main aspects of my map is showing the densities of Native American sites along the Susquehanna river and their relationship in space to colonial forts. In the map, I was able to run an analysis on the density of those sites, and when done, the map automatically inserted a visual that showed the data. GIS allows me to efficiently express differences in space with accurate data. It allows us to take one specific location and use spatial information around it (pinpoints, circled areas, etc) to expand on the historical characteristics of that area.
In addition, in Bodenhammer’s article, he explains how GIS can recreate ancient 3-D worlds, such as the Roman Forum. In doing so, Boddenhammer says, “In this virtual environment we gain an immediate, intuitive feel for proximity and power. This constructed memory of a lost space helps us recapture a sense of place that informs and enriches our understanding…” (24). In a full GIS map, there could be a regular 2-D space with lots of information regarding a vast area, and then a specific area with virtual capabilities, immersing the viewer in that space. The versatility of GIS creates a wonderful gateway back in time where information is represented accurately, efficiently and in a unique way.