The Wisconsin Historical Society maintains the Wisconsin History and Architecture Inventory (AHI), consisting of approximately 120,000 properties surveyed by architectural historians or preservation consultants. The inventory has been assembled over a period of more than 25 years from a wide variety of sources. In many cases, the information is dated and properties may be altered or no longer exist. The majority of properties included in this inventory are privately owned and not open to the public. After 25 years of data collection, there are numerous difficulties with inaccurate addresses. Nearly 10,000 properties have errors, which makes it difficult to map out using a geocoder and have to be entered manually and validated with primary and secondary online sources. I will share how Historic Preservationist are using GIS and what online resources I use to validate and find historic sites from the past.

1. Lost Buildings Using GIS and online Maps to Geolocate Historic Structures.  Michael Bricknell Wisconsin Historical Society Historic Preservation Specialist [email_address]

17. SOS! http://collections.si.edu/search/

21. Historic Map Works http://www.historicmapworks.com/

25. WHAIFinder maps.sco.wisc.edu/WHAIFinder/

29. Example 1 AHI # 4076 County: BURNETT Property Address: S WILLIAMS RD Civil Town: WOOD RIVER Surveyed: 1978

37. Is this really the correct address?

41. 23138 not 23001

48. But there’s more I can do.

53. Example 2 AHI # 15566 County: ASHLAND Property Address: SE CNR OF E 4TH AVE AND FRONT ST City or Village: Ashland Surveyed: 1975

54. Google has failed me once again… Very poor imagery of Ashland AND no Front St and 4 th Ave… but wait…

56. Nothing there?

58. Prentice Ave (4 th Ave) Front Street

60. 1886 1890

62. Example 3 AHI # 46630 County: BUFFALO Property Address: COUNTY HIGHWAY U Civil Town: WAUMANDEE Surveyed: 1994 Artist: Louis Zeller

63. Check the SOS!

68. Example 4 AHI # 132919 County: COLUMBIA Property Address: No Address Civil Town: DEKORRA Surveyed: ? Historic Name: WILLIAM BLACK FARM NO PICTURE

73. Example 5 AHI # 54563 County: FOND DU LAC Property Address: W MCWILLIAMS RD, BETW. MILITARY RD & DOTY City: FOND DU LAC Surveyed: 1974