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Geographic Information System:
Overview
The Maryland Historical Trust launched a major initiative in late 1991 with its development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) for Maryland's cultural resources. The GIS is designed to link Maryland's cultural resources inventories through a user-friendly map interface. The primary system data consist of the inventories of historic properties and archeological sites, the statewide record of archeological survey coverage, the National Register of Historic Places, and the Maryland Historical Trust's preservation easement holdings. Digital USGS topographic quadrangle maps, county topographic maps, and infrared aerial orthophotos serve as base reference layers. The system is being designed to facilitate Trust staff responsibilities in the areas of research, review, and compliance. Publicly accessible workstations in the Trust library have been established, and GIS data is distributed on disk so that outside planners and researchers will have ready access to current information.
 The GIS is one important component of a comprehensive computerization project for the library holdings. The Maryland Historical Trust Library serves as the repository of records on more than 90,000 historic and archeological sites recorded throughout the state. In order to provide better access to these records, the computerization effort involves scanning forms and photographs, OCR and editing of scanned text, and database development. The data systems are being designed to provide access to records through three methods: keyword search, structured database queries, and computerized map query and display. As components of the system are finished, they are being made available at the library workstations.
For more information on the Trust's GIS, contact Maureen Kavanagh at (410) 514-7660.
Last updated: March 20, 2006
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