FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andi Martin, Marketing and Public Relations Manager
andi.martin@ahc.alabama.gov, 334-230-2680
October 19, 2020
Alabama Historical Commission Launches Historic
Preservation Map Initiative of Historic Properties of Alabama
(Montgomery, AL)
After years of intensive planning and behind-the-scenes work, the Alabama
Historical Commission (AHC) is proud to announce a new digital public resource
– Historic Preservation Map Initiative.
The AHC has been diligently working to convert the agency’s paper files
associated with Alabama’s historic architectural resources into a web-based
system utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) technology to increase
the information’s accessibility to the public and to ensure their long-term
preservation. This GIS database will be the first time that any researcher will
be able to review the files of the AHC without making an appointment to search
through the hard copy files of the Historic Preservation Division. This
map will also enable the general public to review information about historic
structures and places in their own community. To date, more
than 129,000 documents have been scanned including survey forms, photographs,
booklets, and maps. Click HERE to begin exploring the interactive map.
“The Alabama
Historical Commission is incredibly proud of the vision and effort behind the
Historic Preservation Map,” said Lisa D. Jones, Executive Director Alabama
Historical Commission. “Thanks to the work of our staff and interns, and
through the support of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, this important
resource is available for all Alabamians to utilize.”
“After my
personal testing of the newly launched GIS database of Historic Architectural
Resources, I highly recommend it to the general public as well as professionals
working in the area of preservation. It can also serve as a resource for
developing local courses of study for our schools. As an easily accessible
public record of Alabama historic resources, it also includes documentation of
properties receiving state and federal tax credits, cemeteries, Native American
sites and historic African-American schools,” said Eddie Griffith, Alabama
Historical Commission Chairman. “This continuing effort will eventually
expand to all of Alabama’s counties and future documentation of historic
resources will be added.”
The Alabama
State Legislature established the
Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) in 1966 to foster the understanding
and preservation of Alabama’s heritage.
In fulfilling its mission, the AHC has collected valuable information on
Alabama’s man-made environment including historic houses, churches, schools,
bridges, cemeteries, commercial buildings, farms, etc. These architectural survey files include
paper survey forms; photographs (i.e. prints, contact sheets, slides and
negatives); maps; measured drawings; blueprints; and accompanying materials. While
great strides have been made to maintain and organize these paper files, they
have only been accessible by visiting the AHC’s main office. Before the digitization process began, there was
no way to replace a file if it was lost or damaged.
Easily
accessible historic property locations within a Geographic Information System
(GIS) is an invaluable tool for planners at the municipal, county, state and
federal level; cultural resource managers; preservation professionals; the
general public; and federal agencies for compliance with Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act 1966, as amended.
The present project consists of digitizing and constructing a geographic
information systems (GIS) database for AHC Architectural Survey Files. GIS is a framework for gathering, managing,
and analyzing data that is rooted in the science of geography. With the
Historic Preservation Map Initiative, the AHC now has an available geo-database
to display spatially the many thousands of historic resources across Alabama. The
Historic Preservation Map Initiative serves as a “master map” that will enable
the public to explore these resources virtually and understand why these
resources are culturally important to Alabama.
“The Alabama
Historical Commission’s Historic Preservation Map Initiative is the outcome of
vision, organization, and dedication resulting in what can best be described as
a treasure map,” said Jay Lamar, Executive Director, Alabama Bicentennial
Commission. “In mapping the historic sites and properties throughout the
state, it reveals what we know: Alabama history is dense, rich, multifaceted,
and many layered. It is hard to imagine a more important and valuable resource
now or for the future, nor one more apt on the heels of the commemoration of
our first two hundred years.
The Historic
Preservation Map Initiative includes maps for all of the Alabama Historical
Commission's many historic preservation programs. The resulting map displays layers
of programs including Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage; Black
Heritage Council Markers; Historic African American Schools; The
National Register of Historic Places; Preservation Easements; Alabama
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program; AHC County Surveys; Alabama
Historic Cemetery Register; Places in Peril; and AHC Historical
Markers.
Student interns have been working steadily since October 2017
to scan the AHC’s collection of architectural survey files, which represents
thousands of forms and photographs of historic buildings all over
Alabama. The locations of these historic places are being plotted in the
GIS database. 42 counties have been plotted so far. More than 40,000 points
have been mapped in the Survey layer alone.
The attribute
tables within each layer include all information that the AHC has regarding
each site. Additionally, attachments are available in most cases that provide a
downloadable PDF of the original submitted documentation.
The Historic
Preservation Map can be viewed on a desktop computer or mobile device such as a
smart phone. On a smart phone with GPS-enabled, a viewer can select to have
their current location notated on the map to immediately see if there are
recorded resource in the nearby vicinity. Alternatively, viewers can search by
address/city/county or even latitude/longitude. From a single map,
researchers will be able to switch between various background maps – the map
defaults to an Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Street Map;
however, that can be changed to view topographic maps or recent aerial
photographs. Any clickable data point offers a wealth of information including
scanned forms and photographs for each feature.
While every
effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the data, the map and
documentation will be an ongoing effort as new information is made available;
this database will always be a work in progress. The Alabama Historical
Commission continually receives a wealth of new data from professional historians,
archaeologists, and architectural historians from all over the state. As
the information becomes available, the map will be updated making the new data instantly
available to the public. AHC’s Historic Preservation Initiative Map is intended
to function as a research tool rather than an up-to-the-minute inventory of all
historic and/or architecturally significant resources in the state.
“Many states have online information
and many more are working towards it; however, the amount of information that
is available varies widely. Alabama will be one of only a handful of
states that makes this information available to the public without a
subscription fee,” said Eric Sipes, Assistant State Archaeologist.
For more
information about an historic property, contact Hannah Garmon at (334)
230-2644, or Hannah.Garmon@ahc.alabama.gov. For more information about the Historic
Preservation Map Initiative, contact Eric Sipes at (334) 230-2667, or Eric.Sipes@ahc.alabama.gov.
About the
Alabama Historical Commission
Located in historic downtown
Montgomery at 468 S. Perry Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state
historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of
the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve
and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission
through two fields of endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned
historic sites as public attractions; and, statewide programs to assist people,
groups, towns, and cities with local preservation activities. For a complete
list of programs and properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of
operation, and admission fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov.
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