Development of a geovisualization platform applied to the dissemination of railway memory: a case study on the urban quilombo ‘Margem da Linha’ in the city of Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

This article examines the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps as a tool for preserving and disseminating the collective memory associated with railway heritage, using the quilombola community of Margem da Linha, located in the city of Teófilo Otoni (Minas Gerais, Brazil), as a case study. The historical formation of this community was closely linked to the former Bahia and Minas Railway, whose construction and subsequent dismantling deeply influenced local territorial dynamics. Given the scarcity and dispersion of documentary records related to this railway system, the research sought to identify, organize, and catalog sources concerning its tangible and intangible heritage. The methodological approach combined bibliographic and documentary research, field surveys for mapping remaining railway structures, and the development of the StoryMap entitled “Identidade e Resistência” which integrates interactive maps, historical photographs, documents, and oral history records. The results highlight the potential of geotechnologies for valuing and disseminating railway memory, enabling the reconstruction of the former railway layout, the georeferencing of community social spaces, and broader public access to this historical legacy. The platform was also integrated into the Virtual Museum of the Mucuri Valley (MUVIM), expanding the accessibility of the digital collection. The study concludes that the developed geovisualization platform represents an effective instrument for documenting and preserving local memories, with potential for application in other heritage and territorial contexts.