Historical Databases and ArcGIS

Our practicum has two members – two historians at two different institutions (one in Mexico and one in California) who work with a technical director in Mexico. We have been working collaboratively for 18 months on a digital visualization project of Mexican historical statistics, with applications that allow users to select, visualize, and easily present different datasets via interactive media.

As part of our project we have digitized the public historical data of the Mexican National Statistics Institute. This data is currently available in pdf only – on a platform that is not optimized for research or for mobile use. Additionally we have been digitizing historical maps of Mexico. A third part of the project connects the historical data with the maps to generate dynamic visualizations of change through time that are visible in detail on a desktop unit, and also on mobile devices to create interactive experiences in the public sphere.

Our project creates unique databases of historical data and also creates a platform where this database will be accessible and downloadable. This project generates original data visualizations that render data and maps visually and dynamically. In our presentation we want to share some of our experience and consideration about digitizing large data sets, working with public institutions and organizing a work-flow, as well as inviting participants to create a dataset of their own and visualize it using ArcGis or other available mapping resources.

The goal of our project is to make all of this data available to the public for free, and our intention with this practicum is to present our process and introduce the database so that other historians and digital humanists may participate in sharing their historical data and contribute to making it more user-friendly.