GIS Specialist - new to the hobby

[Grizart]

Hi all,

I'm new to the hobby of metal detecting, however I thought my background in GIS might assist me in the hobby. I work for a local municipality in the Engineering Department as a GIS Specialist and can absolutely see where this bit of knowledge can give me an advantage. I currently use ArcGIS (Advanced) Desktop. Just for kicks today I took the oldest Aerial Images I had available to me (1930's) for the entire state of New Jersey and placed my local parcel layer on top of the aerials. I also brought in my early winter aerial photos and gave them a decent transparency. WOW! It's not a red X on a map, but it sure does give you some good ideas of where to go, and what you might find.

I am now looking for old maps that are to scale. My hope is to georeference them into my current layers. The nice thing about my current parcel layer is that it has owner information built right into the database. Locally, I can even search deeds back to the 1700's. Problem with those deeds that I have found is the way they described locations no longer exist. Meets and Bounds descriptions back then were " 50 feet from the old oak tree, turning East toward farmer Johnson's house and continuing another 200 feet. "

I guess I am trying to see if anyone else out there is using GIS in this way. Is it successful? If you have any suggestions, or insight, please let me know.

I stated earlier that I am new to the Hobby, I am basically shooting from the hip here.

 

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[Bum Luck]

Yeah, I am.

I don't have ArcGIS, but have access to data.

Here's a link you've asked for: The National Map: Historical Topographic Map Collection

Most of the historic maps are 15 minute, which is tough to zoom in to, but some times you can relate the info to larger scale maps.

My condolences for your M&B descriptions.

 

[Minrelica]

I've see a couple of threads on this topic but I can't claim to know exactly what you guys are talking about yet but I plan to learn a bit about the subject

 

[Grizart]

Thanks Bum Luck and Wit for your responses. BL I think those topographical maps will help. The more information I have the better. Wit, think of GIS as a way to tie database info to a spatial location on a map. GIS also allows you to put maps on top of maps. with a little click here and there I am able to put a map from the 1800's on top of the current parcel layer. I'm also able to add layers such as parks or open space so that may be able to find locations to hunt. With the parcels layer for New Jersey I can access the owner name and address. It is a little complicated, but with the freedom of information act on my side its just a little paperwork. I can also track my findings through gps, analyze those findings, and come up with a plan for future trips to sites.

 

[Minrelica]

Grizart, this sounds to be similar to Photoshop in the sense that you are working within an application, using layers, transparencies different tools, etc., Yes? Would you need to hunt down all of the maps on your own then use ArcGIS to resize and layer them? I will research the process more but I'm just trying to get the gist of the process.

 

[Scrammer]

I use google earth and overlay all the maps i find in layers. I assume it is the same thing you are doing except I have to cross reference to my GIS online for current owners since I do not use a stand alone GIS program. Search through the forums, there are great posts on places for old maps such as the Sanborn maps and historyworks, etc... I do not pay for any of them, I just cap the areas I want and make a layer out of them. I have also found you can pull some historical local information out of "comprehensive plans" put out by towns and cities if you dig through the pdf's they have posted on municipal websites. Good luck, welcome and HH!

 

[Bum Luck]

I use google earth and overlay all the maps i find in layers.

Don't trust GE to save your data; it doesn't do that well.

I lost myfile in a Patch Tuesday crash, and I couldn't recover it. Lots of work gone.

 

[Rob in KS]

Some of that data isn't available to us mere mortals....unless you know someone.
But if you're tricky, you can piece it together from different sources.
I frequently backup the GE files, I'd hate to lose any of it.

 

[Grizart]

Rob, that's what is so great about the freedom of information act, you can get the government to provide the information. You just need to be very specific on what you are looking for.

 

[Clay Diggins]

You are on the right track Gizart. Add in a lot of reading of historical documents and the picture will be clearer. Old Surveys can be tied together sometimes to where the same "oak tree" might be referenced, in adjacent surveys, in relation to a big rock or existing monument, then you can figure out where the "oak tree" was back then.

A trick I use for the older topo maps is to bump a DEM of the area and overlay a transparent* version of the older map. The DEM will show you where the old topo map departs from reality. Do a local georeference on the old map to bring into alignment with the reality.


*For the most useful transparent overlays from old maps save them as a TIFF with a World File and bring the TIFF into a photoeditor program, I use Photoshop. Select out the white background and make it transparent. Bring the worked TIFF back into your GIS editor with the World File attached and save the result as a GEOTIFF or any other format that supports transparency. Now when you overlay the worked map layer you can keep the details sharp and clear and fully opaque while still viewing the underlying layers clearly.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Don't trust GE to save your data; it doesn't do that well.

I lost myfile in a Patch Tuesday crash, and I couldn't recover it. Lots of work gone.

If you right click on a "Places" layer in Google Earth you can select "Save as" and save a copy of just that "place" where it will be safe from upgrades and crashes. Just double click the saved file to open it in Google Earth should you lose your working file.

You can choose KML or KMZ formats in the "Save as" dialogue. KMZ takes less disk space but KML files have the advantage they can be opened and edited with a text editor.

 

[Rob in KS]

Hey Grizart
You sure are in an in-demand business. I wish I knew more about it. I got a little from osmosis. Back in the 80's I was the guy that set up the computers, installed arc (still a serious pain) and then left. My friend that taught it back then is still in demand as a consultant. He still has a couple of old Garmins. About a foot square and 8" tall.

 

[Dirt.Hound]

Hey... I'm also a GIS Specialist, but working in the Utilities sector. My training has definitely helped with this hobby... been overlaying map for a while now, and it definitely helps nail down sites. And Rob... in-demand, perhaps... but it's a broad field with a lot of competition The jobs are certainly there if you are willing to relocate, but that can be hard with a significant other And if you aren't at least somewhat decent at programming (VBA, C#, Javascript, etc)... the job opportunities are even less available. Personally, I wish I had taken a different career path... but hindsight is 20/20, as they say...

And you don't need ArcGIS to do this people! There is free, open-source GIS software out there too... check out QGIS... very capable program, and completely free. I actually find it easier to georeference/overlay maps and images than ArcGIS.