Mapping Overlooked Nationalities in 1890 Manhattan [Matthew]
User Notes
My maps are derived from two maps containing 1890 census data. Because these census records were lost in a fire before they could be copied, and because of the cartographic constraints faced by the producer of the map, there are inaccuracies and missing pieces of information in my data source, and therefore in my finished product as well. One of the goals of my project was to visualize some of these missing pieces of information in these maps, such as which nationalities were overlooked due to mapping constraints. The three figures that I have selected for you to see are:
- The 1894 map, so that you can see the original product that I was using. Figure 1: Map 1 shows the densities of people and Figure 1: Map 2 shows the distribution of nationalities across 1890 Manhattan.
- One of the maps I produced was of the distribution of each nationality across the island. (I place it right below the original map so you can compare and contrast which features are emphasized in each. Also, Please give it a couple of seconds to load and note that the first layer shown is of the Germans, but feel free to click around and view different nationalities one at a time or together.)
- A chart summarizing my findings about which types of people were left off of this original map due to the constraints that the cartogrpher faced.
Please see the links at the bottom, also, to two other maps: one shows the largest nationality in each district, and the other shows the diversity (in terms of number of nationalities represented) in each district. I hope you enjoy!
Statement of Significance
The goals of my mapping project were threefold: first, I wanted to recreate this census data that has been lost for nearly a century; second, I wanted to revisualize the information contained on these maps in order to glean new information about how people of different nationalities were distributed across the island; third, I wanted to understand which groups of people were left out of the map due to the mapping constraints.
In the dataset I produced from these maps made in 1894, and from the original maps I then produced, I believe I achieved my three goals. Understanding the demographic makeup of Manhattan during the turn of the century can provide a new frame of reference as historians evaluate where certain nationalities settled, which groups tended to live close together, and why certain groups clashed. My recovered data and maps can add another story to our understanding of Manhattan during this time.
In the chart above, I display the fraction of each nationality that was left off of the original map. The vast majority of the French, for example, were not displayed on the map. This data point tells us that the French were likely spread across the island and did not live in densely clustered neighborhoods with mostly other French people. The map does contain the "French Quarters," but it turns out the most French people lived, dispersed, outside of this region. Additionally, even though the Irish appear in the majority of districts, about 20% of them are still left off of the map. This piece of information can inform us about how they are spread across the districts in which the original map does not represent the Irish.
Please see the two links below for my two other maps that I produced, including one showing the largest nationality in each district, and the other shows the diversitity in each district.