Baltimore - Washington: 200 Years of Urban Growth

  • Released Monday, April 15, 1996
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This series of animated maps portrays the growth and gradual merger of Washington and Baltimore over the past 200 years. They provide a powerful tool that could help manage the region's suburban sprawl in the near future.

Researchers incorporated historical maps and census information dating back to 1792, as well as satellite photographs and other data collected from NASA satellites and space shuttles over the past 25 years. These animations were developed using provisional data, which may contain anomalies. The final database is scheduled for completion after June, 1996.

Urban Growth (in red) around the Chesapeake Bay from 1792 to 1992

Urban Growth (in yellow) around the Chesapeake Bay from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in red) around the Chesapeake Bay from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map.

Urban Growth (in red) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in red) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map.

Urban Growth (in red) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map.

Urban Growth (in red) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a modern Landsat image.

Urban Growth (in red) in the region around Washington from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Washington from 1792 to 1992.

Urban Growth (in red) in the region around Washington from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Washington from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a modern Landsat image.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in perspective view.

Urban Growth (in red) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a relief map in perspective view.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in white.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in yellow.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in white.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in yellow.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in a rotating perspective view.

Urban Growth (in yellow) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in a rapidly rotating perspective view.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in white. Pauses in the animation indicate the addition of new road data.

Urban Growth (in pink) in the Washington/Baltimore region from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map with major roads in white. Pauses in the animation indicate the addition of new road data.

Urban Growth (in orange) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map.

Urban Growth (in orange) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in perspective view.

Urban Growth (in orange) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in a rotating perspective view.

Urban Growth (in orange) in the region around Baltimore from 1792 to 1992 overlaid over a naturalistic relief map in a rapidly rotating perspective view.

Video slate image reads "Two Hundred Years of Human Impacts on the Baltimore-Washington Region: A Critical Perspective for our Future".

Video slate image reads "Two Hundred Years of Human Impacts on the Baltimore-Washington Region: A Critical Perspective for our Future".

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio

This page was originally published on Monday, April 15, 1996.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 2:00 PM EDT.