Mining the intangible past of Virginia City's Chinese pioneers: Using historical geographic information system (HGIS) to document, visualize and interpret the spatial history of Chinese in a Montana mining camp (CA 1863 - mid-20th century).

摘要

In this research, using historic studies, historic maps, period photographs, and other documentary resources, the author creates a historic Geographic Information System to connect attributes of the heritage of Chinese pioneers in a mining camp with spatial data of the historic site, and uses it as an approach to document, visualize and interpret a complex multidimensional heritage site that lacks historic remains.;The result of the research is a rich computerized resource of information of an integrated cultural heritage site documented from historic maps, historic photographs, historic newspaper articles, historic records, and other resources. Based on different research objectives, these documented information aspects could be used separately or together to interpret and visualize the multifaceted spatial history of the Chinese in Virginia City, Montana.