Reexamining St. Augustine's Archaeological Zones

Geodatabase Allows for More Precise Planning for Future Urban Development

Project Overview

In 2021 Chronicle Heritage partnered with the City of St. Augustine, Florida in compiling a wide array of historic data sets into a single cumulative geodatabase for use by the city. This process necessitated the gathering of diverse sources of information, including archaeological reports, centuries-old historic maps, land surveys, and environmental data as well as existing spatial data for infrastructure within the city. These sources, many of which were in various formats and levels of detail, were meticulously digitized, georeferenced, and delivered with standardized metadata to ensure meticulous records for decisionmaking. The team employed advanced GIS techniques to integrate these layers, ensuring that archaeological sites, historically significant areas, and environmental sensitivities were accurately represented in the spatial database.

This image represents a modern USGS Topographic Map with the digital elevation model-derived hillshade overlain to get a better demonstration of the topography of St. Augustine in a commonly-accessed map resource.
This image represents a modern USGS Topographic Map with the digital elevation model-derived hillshade overlain to get a better demonstration of the topography of St. Augustine in a commonly-accessed map resource.

Our Approach

Once the geodatabase was compiled, the GIS team provided it to the municipality as a decision-support tool for future infrastructure and development planning and the basis for proposing new archaeological sensitivity zones within the city. By overlaying historical and archaeological data with current land-use information, the municipality could better identify areas of cultural and historical importance that required protection or special consideration.

A photograph taken by a Chronicle Heritage team member of the Catholic cemetery of Tomomato (which dates to 1777), a resource within one of the recommended archaeological zones for which ground-disturbing activity have triggered the need for cultural resource work to be completed.
A photograph taken by a Chronicle Heritage team member of the Catholic cemetery of Tomomato (which dates to 1777), a resource within one of the recommended archaeological zones for which ground-disturbing activity have triggered the need for cultural resource work to be completed.

The Results

Chronicle Heritage’s geodatabase enables the city to make more-informed decisions that balance development with the preservation of heritage and the environment. Additionally, the geodatabase allows for more precise planning, reducing the risk of unintended impacts on sensitive areas during future construction and urban development projects.

Recommended Archaeological Zones based on the numerous compiled data sources, each with distinct recommendations for ground-disturbing activity suggested to the City.
Recommended Archaeological Zones based on the numerous compiled data sources, each with distinct recommendations for ground-disturbing activity suggested to the City.

Additional Information

Client

City of St. Augustine, Florida

Location

St. Augustine, Florida

Services

  • Aerial Mapping
  • GIS Mapping
  • Probability Modeling
  • Modern and historical data from diverse sources with varying levels of detail was successfully combined, digitized, and georeferenced with high levels of standardization.
  • Chronicle Heritage used advanced GIS techniques to produce an accurate, highly-comprehensive geodatabase as a decision-support tool for the city.

Chronicle’s Heritage’s geodatabase now serves as a critical tool to help the City make more-informed decisions that balance development with preservation on future projects.

Reach out today. One of our experts will get back to you ASAP.