2016 Intermountain GIS Conference

In Archaeology, GIS is transforming how archaeological surveys are performed as well as the types, quantities and quality of data obtained.  One primary aspect in studying the past and present is the concept of kinship; people considered family, which are not always blood relations.  In the United States, one method that expresses kinship is the creation, maintenance and use of cemeteries.  This presentation details the continuing evolution of the Nevada City Montana Cemetery Mapping Project that began in August 2014 and is led by the Extreme History Project. The Extreme History Project is a non-profit committed to educating the public in how the past has shaped our present and continues to mold our future by pursuing a balanced and honest discussion of the past. Beginning with traditional data acquisition, this volunteer project has developed into a combination of detailed GPS data, written and sketched information, and digital media resulting in an evolving data model as well as an ArcGIS Story Map.  Archaeologists can use the information to track the spatial placement of graves resulting from familial segregation, ethnicity, sex, epidemics and more. Subsequent spatial analysis could determine previously unseen trends stemming from changes in human culture and traditions over time.