Project Information

Going Further

Do you wish to explore further the abilities of using maps to illustrate Colorado's historical geography?  The GIS (Geographic Information Systems) database that this project uses is free for educational and non-commercial use.  A CD is available that contains: (1) a GIS database with more than 80 map layers; (2) free versions of ArcExplorer for PC and Mac; (3) selected mapping activities found on this website in ArcExplorer format, together with student worksheets and conceptual overviews; and (4) all software installation instructions.

In ArcExplorer you can make maps combining layers as you wish, change map categories or legend colors and labels, and generally perform more functions.  If you have another GIS software package (such as ArcView or ArcGIS), this database will work with it.  Files are in ESRI shapefile format.  In addition to the CD you can download the .axl project files and GIS database shapefiles HERE.

To order a free copy of the CD, send an email to: david.diggs@unco.edu

About the Project

Funding for Colorado's Geography: Mapping Our Past was provided through a grant from the National Geographic Society's Colorado Geography Education Fund, with some matching funds from UNC's Hewit Institute for History and Social Science Education.

The project's concept began in early 2002 in conversations between Phil Klein (Department of Geography, UNC) and Jim Giese (Hewit Institute). As director of the Doing History/Keeping the Past project, Dr. Giese had led numerous workshops informing Colorado teachers about that instructional resource.  Many teachers said that maps showing Colorado's historical geography would be a valuable complement to the primary source material found on the Doing History website.

Drs. Giese and Klein received a planning grant from the Colorado Geography Education Fund to convene an Advisory Board of teachers and scholars to further develop this idea.  The Advisory Board met in late 2002 and conceived the notion of creating interactive historical maps using an Internet GIS map-server.  Dave Diggs, also of UNC's Department of Geography, joined the grant to provide the GIS expertise.

This new project idea was funded by the Colorado Geography Education Fund and Hewit Institute in 2003.  Creation of the GIS database began that summer; development and refinement of the activities and maps continued through 2004.

Classroom trials and teacher reviews of the activities were done in Fall 2004.  Ongoing research is planned regarding the effectiveness of teaching historical geography through interactive GIS mapping activities.

Credits

Project Directors

     Dr. Phil Klein                Dr. David Diggs

Advisory Board

     Ty Bliss                       Jim Castagneri             Dr. Charles Collins

     Dr. Matthew Downey    Dr. James Giese           Judy Hansen

     Kim Hamilton                Jerilyn Kennoy            Ami Prichard

     Sharon Rhodes              Michele Rodriguez      Alexis Rubin

     Lorrie Stockwell          Sandy Stokely             Cynthia Stout

Map Activities and Conceptual Overviews

     Dr. Phil Klein                Dr. David Diggs           Kim Hamilton

ArcIMS Internet Map Programming

     Dr. David Diggs

HTML Website Development and Consulting

     Tabbatha Sandoval       Dr. James Giese

GIS Database Design

     Dr. David Diggs            Rosanna Slingerland

Geography 410 and Geography 412

Early drafts of many activities were developed in two classes at UNC, GEOG 410 (Teaching Geography) and GEOG 412 (Advanced Cartography), during the Spring 2004 Semester. Our thanks to the students:

     Jesse Babiuch               Michael Beckwith       Victoria Bosworth

     Karen Campbell             Tom Cirillo                 Niko Cordalis

     Michael DiVernieri        Lisa Donkin                Matt Hanson

     Jennifer Jorschumb      David Lamb                Michael Oyler

     Meghan McNamara        Rachel Ramirez          Zach Ratkai

     Karleen Stanley             Emily Thomas             Mike Vasa

     Jeremy Waldron            Jared Welch             Brendan Willits

Grant Administration and Assistance

     Mona Castor                 Sophia Linn               Sandy Winkler

1872 Map Credit

The Colorado map in the upper left of the Home page is used with permission by Pam Rietsch and is part of the MARDOS Memorial Library at www.MemorialLibrary.com  This particular map and others can be found at: www.memoriallibrary.com/MAP/1872West/

We welcome your comments.  Write either phil.klein@unco.edu or david.diggs@unco.edu.