Geographic Information Technologies and the History of a Shoreline: The Case of Chapter 91 in New Bedford, Massachusetts*

Abstract

This article discusses the use of geographic information technologies to assist researchers in the exploration of historical databases. The case study is a pilot project in which we used geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to study the history of the Public Waterfront Act (the “Chapter 91” program), a policy designed to balance private property rights, public interest, and environmental protection in the Massachusetts tidelands. The issues discussed range from the role of GIS in society and its limitations as a representational tool to the ability of current GIS to deal with historical data and to manage temporal attributes. *William Campbell, Richard Gelpke, and Alberto Giordano at the University of Massachusetts Boston directed the Chapter 91 pilot project. We wish to thank the many students at University of Massachusetts Boston who helped us complete the work, especially during the stages of data collection and GIS implementation. Special thanks also to Magdalena Pavlak at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for her support and guidance through the intricacies of Chapter 91. This work was financed partially with federal funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Massachusetts DEP under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act. Disclaimer: The contents of the project do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or of the DEP. Nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.