Mapping Early Niagara

Mapping Early Niagara is the topic of my Master’s thesis which was completed in December, 2020 at Brock University, located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

This SSHRC funded project incorporated both historical and geographical aspects in its examination of the economic development of the Niagara region in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I mapped select trade patterns that existed at the time, both within the peninsula itself and on a broader scale. I essentially wanted to know how the early colonial settlements in Niagara developed post-Revolution, using the visual dimension of digital tools to aid in my own understanding and also to share my research with the public in an accessible way.

So why did Niagara develop the way it did? Who laid the foundations of what we see and know today? How did these settlements appear and change over time? How did they interact with Indigenous nations already living on the land? These are just a few of the questions that this thesis seeks to answer. The spatial history “mapping” component is a modern approach to answering such questions. Digital mapping can show the development of space over time, and can convey historical meaning in new and different ways.

To see the results of this project, see the “Conclusions” tab in the header bar.

About Jess:

Currently residing in Grimsby, Ontario, I hold an MA in History from Brock University and am passionate about the history of Niagara. I am a Canadian, digital & public historian dedicated to understanding, preserving and sharing the stories of the past. 

Public History Work:

The Brown Homestead

St. Catharines, ON – 2021-present – director of community engagement

Navigating Niagara’s Human-Animal History

Niagara, ON – 2021-2022 – Historical GIS Specialist

Safe Sport: Critical Issues and Practices – Open Educational Resource

st. catharines, on – 2021-2022 – project manager

Sport Oral History Archive

niagara, on – 2020-2022 – digital collections builder

The Shickluna Shipyard

st. catharines, on – 2019 – public history ambassador

Town of Lincoln Museum Exhibit

beamsville, on – 2018 – local history digitization project

Lincoln Museum and Heritage Gateway. Lincoln/Brock History exhibit portraying locals Michael Rittenhouse & Pte Clarence Huntsman. L-R Prof D Samson Jessica Linzel Derek Friske Mayor Sandra Easton. Every student will thrive in this environment @TownofLincolnON @BrockUniversity pic.twitter.com/z4HqSf6r3Q

— Mayor Sandra L. Easton UE, MPA (@SandraLEaston) May 10, 2018

https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2018/05/brock-teams-up-with-lincoln-museum-on-new-exhibits/

Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement

toronto, on – 2017 – Individual recipient

Nelles Manor Museum

grimsby, on – [2016 – present] – volunteer

Victory starts at The Forty. Join us Sept 21–22 at the Forty Creek Distillery as we celebrate the launch of our 2019 limited release. #WhiskyWeekend2019 pic.twitter.com/aL0paVJct9

— Forty Creek Whisky (@WeAreFortyCreek) July 30, 2019