The Population Center at the University of Minnesota has established the National Historic Geographic Information System, which provides - free of charge - aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2000. If you are familiar with GIS, this is a great resource that allows you to download shape files so that you can easily map statistical data from the census. If you don't have access to GIS technology, you can simply download the aggregate census data into an Excel spreadsheet. You can even map this data on your own using Social Explorer.
There is a lot of technical jargon on the NHGIS site, so if you want to access the aggregate data, go to Statistical Data and select Download Aggregate data. From there select Data Finder. You will need to create a login ID and password. Select Historical Census if you want to research census data prior to 1970. Census data for Richmond is available from 1800 on, but if you want census tract data for specific areas of the city, you will only be able to find it starting with the 1940 census. If you want to access census tract data, I would highly recommend you use Social Explorer to map out census tract boundaries before you go to Data Finder and select the census tracts.
I played around with Data Finder and discovered some fun facts about housing in the Ginter Park area in 1940.
Let me know if you have any questions about how to use this great resource.
- Catherine E.
Showing posts with label alarmingly addictive research tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alarmingly addictive research tools. Show all posts
Monday, September 7, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Library of Virginia Gets It
Anyone who has ever seriously researched state or local history has probably been to the Library of Virginia to avail themselves of invaluable records and research tools. Chances are you have flipped through the extensive card catalogue by the map desk, wrestled with a microfilm reader that didn’t want to load properly, and waited patiently as the mysterious staff on the third floor locates the items you have requested and sends them downstairs. If you don’t conveniently work right beside the Library like I do, it can be a struggle to find time during the week to get your research done. The Library understands.
We realized that increasingly our users would visit us virtually, rather than physically, and their expectations for their online visits would be influenced by and change according to the Web technologies available on other sites they use every day for work, research, and entertainment.
They launched Virginia Memory in 2009 to help the public navigate online content. While there is something thrilling about touching the fragile pages of a manuscript that has survived through the years and has made it into the Library’s archives, I am ecstatic about the increasing number of digitized collections that the Library has to offer. Here are a few of my favorites:
WPA Life Histories: This collections provides a fully–searchable index with images to approximately 1,350 life histories, social–ethnic studies, and youth studies plus more than 50 interviews with former slaves which were created by the staff of the Virginia Writers' Project.
Stereograph Collection: Stereoscopic views were a popular 19th century recreational pastime that enabled photographs to be viewed in three dimensions. What appear to be two identical images adjacent to each other on a cardboard support are actually slightly different. When viewed through the lenses of a stereoscope, they "merge" to form a single 3-D image. The Library of Virginia's Stereograph Collection contains 318 images from many prominent and well-known photographers from the early 1860s to the early 20th century.
"Bird's Eye View of Richmond," from the stereograph collection, courtesy of the Library of Virginia
Chancery Records Index: The Chancery Records Index (CRI) is a result of archival processing and indexing projects overseen by the Library of Virginia (LVA) and funded, in part, by the Virginia Circuit Court Records Preservation Program (CCRP). Each of Virginia's circuit courts created chancery records that contain considerable historical and genealogical information. Because the records rely so heavily on testimony from witnesses, they offer a unique glimpse into the lives of Virginians from the early 18th century through the First World War.
Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants: Accumulated documents intended to verify dates of service of officers, soldiers, and sailors in a Virginia or Continental army or naval unit during the Revolutionary War.
We realized that increasingly our users would visit us virtually, rather than physically, and their expectations for their online visits would be influenced by and change according to the Web technologies available on other sites they use every day for work, research, and entertainment.
They launched Virginia Memory in 2009 to help the public navigate online content. While there is something thrilling about touching the fragile pages of a manuscript that has survived through the years and has made it into the Library’s archives, I am ecstatic about the increasing number of digitized collections that the Library has to offer. Here are a few of my favorites:
WPA Life Histories: This collections provides a fully–searchable index with images to approximately 1,350 life histories, social–ethnic studies, and youth studies plus more than 50 interviews with former slaves which were created by the staff of the Virginia Writers' Project.
Stereograph Collection: Stereoscopic views were a popular 19th century recreational pastime that enabled photographs to be viewed in three dimensions. What appear to be two identical images adjacent to each other on a cardboard support are actually slightly different. When viewed through the lenses of a stereoscope, they "merge" to form a single 3-D image. The Library of Virginia's Stereograph Collection contains 318 images from many prominent and well-known photographers from the early 1860s to the early 20th century.
"Bird's Eye View of Richmond," from the stereograph collection, courtesy of the Library of VirginiaS Bassett French Biographical Sketches: This collection of digital images provides biographical information on almost 9,000 men, compiled by French between 1890 and 1897.
Chancery Records Index: The Chancery Records Index (CRI) is a result of archival processing and indexing projects overseen by the Library of Virginia (LVA) and funded, in part, by the Virginia Circuit Court Records Preservation Program (CCRP). Each of Virginia's circuit courts created chancery records that contain considerable historical and genealogical information. Because the records rely so heavily on testimony from witnesses, they offer a unique glimpse into the lives of Virginians from the early 18th century through the First World War.
Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants: Accumulated documents intended to verify dates of service of officers, soldiers, and sailors in a Virginia or Continental army or naval unit during the Revolutionary War.
These are only the tip of the iceberg, so do yourself a favor and check out the rest of the Library's digital collections.
- Catherine E.
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