Monroe County has a new webpage for local geographic data.
It’s called the Monroe County Geographic Information System (GIS) Division Spatial Data Hub, and it centralizes various types of data on Monroe County.
The webpage hosts maps showing the path of the 2024 solar eclipse; local community resources including pantries, medical facilities, and shelters; aerial images of Bloomington from 1949 and 1961; properties with racially-restrictive covenants; local 2020 U.S. Census blocks and demographics; and more.
GIS Coordinator John Baeten said the webpage is the result of ongoing work involving the Monroe County Surveyor’s Office and other county offices.
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“It’s kind of a cornucopia of data, and it’s very atypical for a county GIS system to have (…) the abundance of resources that we have,” Baeten said. “These include a number of public-facing applications, as well as some data analysis tools that I think are going to have some widespread interest for residents in Monroe County and elsewhere.”
The webpage went live in September. Much of the data there is current as of 2022, according to Baeten.
Earlier this year, the county launched the map showing which local properties have deeds with racially restrictive language.
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It shows that Monroe County has more than 500 properties with racially restrictive deeds. The restrictions are no longer enforceable because of the 1968 federal Fair Housing Act, however.
The county also gathers land record data, including property owners and sales information. Baeten said that’s common practice, but he stressed the importance of preserving other types of data.
“There’s a lot more we can do with GIS than just showcasing parcels,” Baeten said. “There are bigger stories to tell, and there’s bigger kinds of analysis that can be done with other types of data and mapping.”
Baeten said the GIS Division wants to expand its current mapping projects and explore new ones. He encourages anyone with ideas or feedback to reach out at 812-349-2570 or gis@co.monroe.in.us.
