Abstract

Visualizing Historic Baltimore
Track: Mapping
Authors: Joshua Cole

As part of a project to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, UMBC is working with the Maryland Historical Society to prepare an accurate 3D terrain and map of Baltimore City relevant to that period. Using Georeferencing, Projection, and Editor Tools we have digitized 100 square miles of historic five foot elevation contours from highly detailed historic archival materials. Next we use 3D Analyst tools and Model Builder to create TINs and rasters and then develop a polygonal mesh which will be the basis of terrain for a film to be shown during Baltimore City's 2014 celebration of the War of 1812. Spatial Analyst informs historian's interpretation of archival works using viewshed, slope, cut and fill. ArcHydro improves hydrologist and biophysical researchers' understanding by visualizing the historic daylighted drainage of many now buried streams and changes to the Baltimore Harbor waterfront.