This public map service contains points and polygons representing information from the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) database and related records on file at the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), including the Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth, National Register of Historic Places nomination forms, local historic district study reports, local landmark reports, and other materials. The MACRIS database and the layers within the MACRIS Maps web application are updated regularly as new information is submitted and added, and as the accuracy of earlier versions of the datalayer is improved. Three datalayers are being made available to the public: The Inventory Points layer contains the locations of buildings, burial grounds, structures, and objects (e.g. statues, monuments, walls). The points layer is symbolized to indicate the most common historic designation types: 1) National Register of Historic Places, 2) local historic district, 3) both National Register and local historic district, 4) Preservation Restriction, 5) Massachusetts Historic Landmark (MA/HL) and 6) inventoried but not designated with one of the previous designations. Less common designations are not symbolized in MACRIS, but are included in the Designations attribute field.The Inventory Areas polygon layer includes areas and districts symbolized in MACRIS in a similar manner to Inventory Points. Another polygon layer, Towns, possesses a binary “y” or blank field to indicate whether a town has a survey pending digitization. Please note that new and updated information is added to MHC files daily, and that there may be considerable lag time before this information is reflected in MACRIS or in MACRIS Maps. Map information for “completed” towns may not reflect the most current information on file with MHC. For additional information, users may consult the source records, forms and maps that make up the official Inventory of Historic and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth, on file at the MHC, Massachusetts Archives Building, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, during weekday business hours. No appointment is needed. For directions, see https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/.See the metadata for more details.

The National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP) was coordinated by the USGS as an interagency project to acquire cloud-free aerial photographs at an altitude of 20,000 feet above mean terrain elevation. The photographs were taken with a 6-inch focal length lens at a scale of 1:40,000. Coverage over the conterminous United States includes both black-and-white (BW) and color infrared (CIR) aerial photographs. Film type and extent of coverage were determined by available funds and operational requirements. The NAPP program, which was operational from 1987 to 2007, consists of more than 1.3 million images. Photographs were acquired on 9-inch film and were centered over quarters of USGS 7.5-minute quadrangles.To view historical imagery availability by county please visit the Historical Availability of Imagery map.To view more NAPP imagery visit the NAPP Historical Imagery Portfolio app.For ordering information please contact the GEO Customer Service Section at geo.sales@usda.gov.

April 2001, April 2003

NOTE: Harvard Forest did not provide written metadata. Rather, this metadata was written by the Martha's Vineyard Commission based on a phone conversation with Harvard Forest staff in Dec. 2023.Utilizing Harvard Forest's "Ancient Woodlands" data of 2019, the Martha's Vineyard Commission ran the Identity geoprocessing tool with that dataset and the MVC's 12/22/2023 version of the Open Space Conservation data for Martha's Vineyard. This process retained all of the Ancient Woodlands data and superimposed the attributes of [Level of Protection] and [OS_ID] into the Ancient Woodlands polygons. This permits one to readily analyze the data to see where Ancient Forests are currently protected in perpetuity, etc. Please see the Description section for background about Harvard Forest's delineation of the Ancient Woodlands.A domain table is provided which explains the Level of Protection codes. The [OS_ID] is a numeric ID which links back to the MVC's Open Space Conservation dataset. OS_ID is a unique identifier within that dataset. The numbers before the hyphen is the Town ID. 62 = Chilmark, 89 = Edgartown, 104 = Aquinnah, 221 = Oak Bluffs, 296 = Tisbury, 327 = West Tisbury.The Ancient Woodlands data were produced by Harvard Forest in Dec. 2019. Data for Martha's Vineyard were received from Harvard Forest in November of 2023. Looking at historic maps and older aerial photographs, Harvard Forest noted for 4 time periods when forest was present on the map or photo. Locations where forest was present for all 4 time periods, were regarded as 'Ancient Woodlands'. The 4 time periods reviewed were: circa 1850, circa 1890, 1938, 1993. Then the data were updated, based on Google's November 2018 photos, for recent development or new agricultural areas. Areas where development or agricultural fields existed were removed from the Ancient Woodlands dataset. The areas delineated in this dataset, represent Ancient Woodlands present as of year-end 2018. Please note: Ancient Woodlands are not the same as "Old Growth Forest".The specific citation for the 1850 and 1890 map are unknown. Harvard Forest georeferenced those maps in ArcGIS software. The 1938 black and white aerial photographs were georeferenced by a consultant hired by Harvard Forest. As an aside FYI, the 1993 photographs (color infrared? black & white?) is the same year of photography which was used for The Nature Conservancy's vegetation delineation of Martha's Vineyard. Not sure if Harvard Forest used the exact same photos as the TNC project but the time period is the same.Harvard Forest is in the process of analyzing the potential ecological benefit of these Ancient Woodlands. Preliminary results show these area have more huckleberry than non-Ancient Woodland areas.The Martha's Vineyard Commission did convert the Harvard Forest Ancient Woodlands data from multi-part polygons to single-part polygons prior to running the Identity analysis.

The Land Use (2005) datalayer is a Massachusetts statewide, seamless digital dataset of land cover / land use, created using semi-automated methods, and based on 0.5 meter resolution digital ortho imagery captured in April 2005.The classification scheme is based on the coding schema used for previous Massachusetts land use datasets, with modifications.These data were prepared by Sanborn. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is generally 1 acre, but a MMU as low as ¼ acre may be found in some areas, e.g. in urban areas where assessor parcels were used to enhance the mapping of multi-family residential areas.The formerly used “MacConnell” schema combined land cover and land use categories, and was designed for manual interpretation of aerial photos. In this project, that protocol was modified so that it was useful in an automated environment, but it still maintains much compatibility with the older system. The spatial accuracy of the current method is excellent, since the land use map is derived directly from the ortho image.Please see https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massgis-data-land-use-2005 for more details.Feature service also available.

description: This digital geologic map compilation presents new polygon (i.e., geologic map unit contacts), line (i.e., fault, fold axis, dike, and caldera wall), and point (i.e., structural attitude) vector data for the Thirsty Canyon NW 7 1/2' quadrangle in southern Nevada. The map database, which is at 1:24,000-scale resolution, provides geologic coverage of an area of current hydrogeologic and tectonic interest. The Thirsty Canyon NW quadrangle is located in southern Nye County about 20 km west of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and 30 km north of the town of Beatty. The map area is underlain by extensive layers of Neogene (about 14 to 4.5 million years old [Ma]) mafic and silicic volcanic rocks that are temporally and spatially associated with transtensional tectonic deformation. Mapped volcanic features include part of a late Miocene (about 9.2 Ma) collapse caldera, a Pliocene (about 4.5 Ma) shield volcano, and two Pleistocene (about 0.3 Ma) cinder cones. Also documented are numerous normal, oblique-slip, and strike-slip faults that reflect regional transtensional deformation along the southern part of the Walker Lane belt. The Thirsty Canyon NW map provides new geologic information for modeling groundwater flow paths that may enter the map area from underground nuclear testing areas located in the NTS about 25 km to the east. The geologic map database comprises six component ArcINFO map coverages that can be accessed after decompressing and unbundling the data archive file (tcnw.tar.gz). These six coverages (tcnwpoly, tcnwflt, tcnwfold, tcnwdike, tcnwcald, and tcnwatt) are formatted here in ArcINFO EXPORT format. Bundled with this database are two PDF files for readily viewing and printing the map, accessory graphics, and a description of map units and compilation methods.; abstract: This digital geologic map compilation presents new polygon (i.e., geologic map unit contacts), line (i.e., fault, fold axis, dike, and caldera wall), and point (i.e., structural attitude) vector data for the Thirsty Canyon NW 7 1/2' quadrangle in southern Nevada. The map database, which is at 1:24,000-scale resolution, provides geologic coverage of an area of current hydrogeologic and tectonic interest. The Thirsty Canyon NW quadrangle is located in southern Nye County about 20 km west of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and 30 km north of the town of Beatty. The map area is underlain by extensive layers of Neogene (about 14 to 4.5 million years old [Ma]) mafic and silicic volcanic rocks that are temporally and spatially associated with transtensional tectonic deformation. Mapped volcanic features include part of a late Miocene (about 9.2 Ma) collapse caldera, a Pliocene (about 4.5 Ma) shield volcano, and two Pleistocene (about 0.3 Ma) cinder cones. Also documented are numerous normal, oblique-slip, and strike-slip faults that reflect regional transtensional deformation along the southern part of the Walker Lane belt. The Thirsty Canyon NW map provides new geologic information for modeling groundwater flow paths that may enter the map area from underground nuclear testing areas located in the NTS about 25 km to the east. The geologic map database comprises six component ArcINFO map coverages that can be accessed after decompressing and unbundling the data archive file (tcnw.tar.gz). These six coverages (tcnwpoly, tcnwflt, tcnwfold, tcnwdike, tcnwcald, and tcnwatt) are formatted here in ArcINFO EXPORT format. Bundled with this database are two PDF files for readily viewing and printing the map, accessory graphics, and a description of map units and compilation methods.

This layer represents DCR playgrounds and playground equipment. Both layers work together to provide an inventory of the current DCR playgrounds that are open to public use. Conditions can change rapidly so this is just a snapshot in time.This dataset has 2 nested sets of features: Data A: Playgrounds- Each point represents the approximate center of a DCR playground. - Attributes describe the playground as a whole, including access, fencing, parking, amenities etc. - Picture attachments visualize each playground. Attributes:AssocDCRfac: DCR facility with which this Playground is associated. PG_name: Name of Playground.Town: Town or City this Playground is in. SqFootage: approximate area of Playground (square feet).BikeRack: Availability of a bike rack.FacilityLighting: If the playground is illuminated for the dark.PredomMat: Predominant surface material of the ground covered by the Playground.PathSurf: Surface of any paths between equipment on this Playground.ADAparking: Availability of Accessivle parking.FenceType: Type of fence (if any).FenceHtEst: Height of fence (in feet).TablesNumber: Count of tables.TablesPredMat: Material of tables.BenchesNumber: Count of benches.BenchesPredMat: Predominant material of benches.ShadeNatural: Availability of Natural shade.ShadeBuilt: Availability of Built shade.TrashRecNum: Count of trash receptacles.TrashRecType: Type of trash receptacles.RecyclingNum: Count of Recycling receptacles (if any).InspDate: Date when the data was last updated.Address: The nearest address, for navigation.Data B: equipment - Each point represents an individual play equipment in the playground point in Data A (above). So each Data A point must have at least one point in Data B. Most playgrounds have many play structures and thus, multiple Data B points. - Attributes describe the play equipment according to it's component pieces. - Picture attachments visualize each piece of equipment. The Visit_date field for each record/playground indicates when the dataset was last updated and thus, is an indicator of the currentness of this data. The actual condition of the playground can change fast and render observations outdated.Attributes:PG_name: Name of PlaygroundEquipNum: An ID number for the Equipment that is unique to this playground.PredomMat: Predominant material of equipment.PlayAgeGrp: Intended age group for play.SurfaceMat: Material of surface under each equipment.Seesaw: Count of this kind of equipment in this structure. Oscillate: Same as above.Climber: Same as above.HorizOverhd: Same as above.BalanceFeat: Same as above.SandFeat: Same as above.SpringCoil: Same as above.Deck: Same as above.Swing: Same as above.Roof: Same as above.InteractPanel: Same as above.Bridge: Same as above.AcousElem: Same as above.OpenSlide: Same as above.TubeSlide: Same as above.CrawlTunnel: Same as above.Other: Count of any playground component not listed.InspDate: Date when the data was last updated.The 2 datasets are linked by the field: pg_name Item type:This public, non-editable View is based on the Hosted Feature layer, DCR Playgrounds(editable).Source:Ongoing updates: DCR Playgrounds manager. Created: from fieldwork conducted by Warner Larson Landscape Architects in 2016. A professional playground inspector was part of the team. Commissioned by DCR to be used for management and planning. Field data collection with the ESRI Collector app on smart tablets (iPad minis) using web-maps created by DCR GIS. Please note:This layer contains data that changes frequently and may need to be updated.

Amherst, MA Former Property LinesMetadata is available at http://gis.amherstma.gov/data/metadata/parcels.htm

These data were automated to provide an accurate high-resolution historical shoreline of Boston, Massachusetts suitable as a geographic information system (GIS) data layer. These data are derived from shoreline maps that were produced by the NOAA National Ocean Service including its predecessor agencies which were based on an office interpretation of imagery and/or field survey. The NGS att...

This data set contains the sea floor topographic contours, sun-illuminated topographic imagery, and backscatter intensity generated from a multibeam sonar survey of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts, an area of approximately 1100 square nautical miles. The Stellwagen Bank NMS Mapping Project is designed to provide detailed maps of the Stellwagen Bank region's environments and habitats and the first complete multibeam topographic and sea floor characterization maps of a significant region of the shallow EEZ. Data were collected on four cruises over a two year period from the fall of 1994 to the fall of 1996. The surveys were conducted aboard the Candian Hydrographic Service vessel Frederick G. Creed, a SWATH (Small Waterplane Twin Hull) ship that surveys at speeds of 16 knots. The multibeam data were collected utilizing a Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder (95 kHz) that is permanently installed in the hull of the Creed.

This is a seven-category land-cover map of Billerica, Massachusetts. The seven categories are: bare soil, coniferous trees, decidous trees, grass, impervious surface, water, and wetlands. Note: Complete metadata is available within the downloaded zip file. This metadata can be viewed with ESRI ArcGIS software, and can be exported to FGDC and ISO metadata formats.

January 2002

Take a looks at the Harvard Map Collection's interactive exhibit 'Manuscript Maps,' which explores the library's extraordinary collection of hand-drawn manuscript maps.Behind every manuscript map lies an individual’s hand. Unlike printed maps, where a combination of drafting, engraving, and printing distances particular sheets from the people who produced them, manuscript maps carry the pressure and movement of individual bodies. The weight of these individual bodies interweave the stories of individuals with the material lives of the maps themselves. In a nautical chart made of the Fiji islands, we can follow the path of the ship Sally to see the human cost of a short boom in the Sandalwood trade; in a draft of a map of US railroad systems, we can imagine a cartographer’s frustrations when we see the demands a never-satisfied author has made in the margins; in a survey of the property of the late Philip Wheeler in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, we can feel the cold of a New England day in late December on the surveyor’s hands as he divided the land for Wheeler’s wife and heirs. Each map invites you into the world—as big as the earth or as small as a backyard—that someone laid out by hand.These stories often begin before ink was put to paper and have continued long after that ink has dried. Most of these maps rely on previous models, whether someone has traced, copied, transferred, or improved that original map. As individuals trace, copy, and amend the maps in front of them, they graft their own lives into stories of their maps. As murky as their origins can be, their futures are no clearer. When, after all, is a manuscript finished? We would struggle to distinguish a line or a legend added a day, a week, a month, maybe even a year after the initial marks on a map from two hundred years ago. These manuscripts point to a moment in a story that radiates into both past and future.These hazy beginnings and endings invite us into the ongoing life stories of these manuscripts as we discover the many lives that touch them.

The Unpublished Digital Geologic-GIS Map of the Little River Quadrangle, Alabama is composed of GIS data layers and GIS tables in a 10.1 file geodatabase (lirv_geology.gdb), a 10.1 ArcMap (.mxd) map document (lirv_geology.mxd), individual 10.1 layer (.lyr) files for each GIS data layer, an ancillary map information document (liri_geology.pdf) which contains source map unit descriptions, as well as other source map text, figures and tables, metadata in FGDC text (.txt) and FAQ (.pdf) formats, and a GIS readme file (liri_geology_gis_readme.pdf). Please read the liri_geology_gis_readme.pdf for information pertaining to the proper extraction of the file geodatabase and other map files. To request GIS data in ESRI 10.1 shapefile format contact Stephanie O'Meara (stephanie.omeara@colostate.edu; see contact information below). Presently, a GRI Google Earth KMZ/KML product doesn't exist for this map. The data were completed as a component of the Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) program, a National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Division funded program that is administered by the NPS Geologic Resources Division (GRD). Source geologic maps and data used to complete this GRI digital dataset were provided by the following: Geological Survey of Alabama and Auburn University, Department of Geosciences. Detailed information concerning the sources used and their contribution the GRI product are listed in the Source Citation section(s) of this metadata record (lirv_geology_metadata.txt or lirv_geology_metadata_faq.pdf). Users of this data are cautioned about the locational accuracy of features within this dataset. Based on the source map scale of 1:24,000 and United States National Map Accuracy Standards features are within (horizontally) 12.2 meters or 40 feet of their actual location as presented by this dataset. Users of this data should thus not assume the location of features is exactly where they are portrayed in ArcGIS or other software used to display this dataset. All GIS and ancillary tables were produced as per the NPS GRI Geology-GIS Geodatabase Data Model v. 2.3. (available at: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/inventory/geology/GeologyGISDataModel.cfm). The GIS data projection is NAD83, UTM Zone 16N. The data is within the area of interest of Little River Canyon National Preserve.

BioMap is the result of an ongoing collaboration between MassWildlife and the Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Since its inception in 2001, this comprehensive tool has become a trusted source of information to guide conservation that is used by a wide spectrum of conservation practitioners. Today’s BioMap builds on previous iterations with the continuing goal of protecting the diversity of species and natural ecosystems within the Commonwealth. BioMap is an important tool to guide strategic protection and stewardship of lands and waters that are most important for conserving biological diversity in Massachusetts.More details...Map service also available.

Noise pollution in cities has major negative effects on the health of both humans and wildlife. Using iPhones, we collected sound-level data at hundreds of locations in four areas of Boston, Massachusetts (USA) before, during, and after the fall 2020 pandemic lockdown, during which most people were required to remain at home. These spatially dispersed measurements allowed us to make detailed maps of noise pollution that are not possible when using standard fixed sound equipment. The four sites were: the Boston University campus (which sits between two highways), the Fenway/Longwood area (which includes an urban park and several hospitals), Harvard Square (home of Harvard University), and East Boston (a residential area near Logan Airport). Across all four sites, sound levels averaged 6.4 dB lower during the pandemic lockdown than after. Fewer high noise measurements occurred during lockdown as well. The resulting sound maps highlight noisy locations such as traffic intersections and quiet locations such as parks. This project demonstrates that changes in human activity can reduce noise pollution and that simple smartphone technology can be used to make highly detailed maps of noise pollution that identify sources of high sound levels potentially harmful to humans in urban environments. Methods We collected sound measurements within four different urban sites in Boston, Massachusetts. Working in small teams of 2-4 people, we used the mobile app SPLnFFT to collect sound level data in A-weighted decibel readings using smartphones. We exclusively used iPhones for data collection for consistency in hardware and software. Before each collection, we calibrated each iPhone to the same standard, which was used for every collection outing. We recorded the L50 value (the median sound level) for each recording because the L50 value is less affected by short bursts of loud sound than the mean reading. Recordings ran for approximately 20 seconds each. We recorded all sound measurements between 9 am and 5 pm on workdays to avoid the influence of rush-hour traffic, and only collected data on days without rain, snow, or strong wind to prevent inaccuracies due to weather. Within these conditions, we collected sound measurements over multiple days and at different times to ensure representative data. We followed these procedures for both collection cycles (2020 during lockdown and 2021 after lockdown had been lifted). The 2017 data were collected for an unrelated noise pollution project conducted by previous members of the Primack Lab and were not collected with the exact parameters established for the 2020 and 2021 collections. However, we found these noise data to be valuable given that they could be used to compare lockdown sound levels to the soundscape before the COVID-19 pandemic. We used R Studio to create sound maps from the individual data points in a way that allows for spatial visualization of the soundscape before, during, and after the pandemic lockdown. To test for statistically significant differences in sound level between years, we performed Welch’s t-tests on the raw data for all sites comparing lockdown (2020) measurements to pre (2017) and post (2021) lockdown measurements. Given the hypothesis that 2020 would have lower sound levels at each site, we report the results of one-tailed t-tests.

December 1995, June 2001

BioMap is the result of an ongoing collaboration between MassWildlife and the Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Since its inception in 2001, this comprehensive tool has become a trusted source of information to guide conservation that is used by a wide spectrum of conservation practitioners. Today’s BioMap builds on previous iterations with the continuing goal of protecting the diversity of species and natural ecosystems within the Commonwealth. BioMap is an important tool to guide strategic protection and stewardship of lands and waters that are most important for conserving biological diversity in Massachusetts.More details...Map service also available.

This collection of geo-referenced photos vary with regards to spatial accuracy and resolution. Use the hotlinks below to learn the details of each collection or review MassGIS's new story map explaining all the vintages of aerial photos. Tip: Reviewing that story map might be an easier way to digest the information rather than reviewing the more formal/standard metadata accessible via the hotlinks below.Within the web map certain layers will only be visible at particular zoom extents. If a layer is unavailable to turn on/off, then zoom in or out as needed until the layer becomes active.All photos, except year 1938, are captured during leaf-off (typically late winter/early spring). With the exception of the 1938 & 1990s collection, all photos are in true color. The 1938 & 1990s are in black and white. With regards to Dukes County (which includes the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands) these are the applicable years of acquisition for those State-wide collections that span multiple years: "1990s collection" -- Only year 1999 for Dukes County"2001-2003 collection" -- Only year 2003 for Dukes County"2008-2009 collection" - Only year 2009 for Dukes County"2011-2012 collection" - Only year 2011 for Dukes County"2013-2014 collection" - Only year 2014 for Dukes CountyPhoto Details (Metadata)1938 Black & White Aerials (georeferenced & hosted by Harvard Forest)1990s Black & White Aerials2001-2003 Color Aerials2005 Color Aerials2008-2009 Color Aerials2011-2012 Color Aerials2013-2014 Color Aerials2015 Satellite Images - Extra Details2019 Color Aerials2021 Color Aerials2023 Color AerialsParcel Lines -- These data are NOT survey grade and are intended for general reference only. The parcel data comply with the MassGIS Level 3 parcel data standard. Each town in Dukes County hires a GIS Consultant to prepare their digital parcel lines and to link the properties to the respective records from the town's assessing database. The linkage is static and not updated in real-time - it is only 'as current' as the day the data was exported from the assessing database. The Martha's Vineyard Commission does not edit nor maintain any assessing data or parcel lines/property bounds. Each town within Dukes County updates their digital parcel data when they see fit (most, typically, update annually). Click on a specific town in this map to see when their parcel data was updated and by whom. Similarly, clicking on a parcel in this "MA Aerial Photos Since 1990s web map" will show you the applicable Fiscal Year the assessing info was exported.

August 2025