Date of Award

2015

Degree Name

Geography

College

College of Liberal Arts

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Anita Walz

Second Advisor

Kevin Law

Third Advisor

Godwin Djietror

Abstract

This research examines the location of the 19th century historic Blue Sulphur hotel and sulphur springs resort located in Cabell County, West Virginia. This area has suffered degradation and modifications due to human activities. The objective of this study was to examine the location of the Blue Sulphur Springs Resort Hotel and springs, and utilize the remote sensing and GIS techniques in researching and locating structures that no longer exist or features that no longer are visible. The study integrated and utilized data from various sources and used different methods and approaches to analyze the changes to the Blue Sulphur site over approximately 140 years in order to find the location of the hotel and sulphur spring. These approaches included gathering field notes, evaluating and comparing historical surveys and documents, exploring and collecting archived data, using photogrammetric techniques to analyze aerial photography, and combining georeferenced images with satellite imagery to examine land changes. Also, socioeconomic information was used as secondary data to explain the influential factors in the growth and decline of the resort at Blue Sulphur. The results indicate the sulphur spring location was behind the hotel.

Subject(s)

Sulfur springs -- West Virginia -- Cabell County.

Blue Sulphur Springs Resort Hotel (Cabell County, W. Va.)

Historical geographic information systems.

Remote sensing.

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