diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+Copyright Author name here (c) 2017
+
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+      copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+      disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+      with the distribution.
+
+    * Neither the name of Author name here nor the names of other
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+## Description
+This is a parser for ESRI/ArcInfo (ArcGrid) files. These are raster GIS files
+widely used by many geographics-related software to represent elevations or
+terrain features.
+
+Only ASCII GRID (.asc) files are supported at the moment.
+
+In `app/valley.asc` there is a test elevation model of a small valley area. It
+is parsed and printed by the `arcgrid-exe` if you do `stack exec arcgrid-exe`.
+
+## Usage
+The library exports the `ArcGrid` datatype and its accessors:
+
+``` haskell
+data ArcGrid = ArcGrid
+               { ncols :: Int
+               , nrows :: Int
+               , xllcorner :: Maybe Float
+               , yllcorner :: Maybe Float
+               , xllcenter :: Maybe Float
+               , yllcenter :: Maybe Float
+               , cellsize :: Float
+               , nodata_value :: Maybe Int
+               , vat :: [Int]
+               }
+```
+
+The main interface for reading of grid files is `arcGridFromFile`, but the
+bytestring parser (to be used with Parsec) is also exported.
+
+``` haskell
+arcGridFromFile :: String -> IO ArcGrid
+
+asciiGridParser :: Parser ArcGrid
+```
+
+## TODO:
+- unparsing
+- optimizations
+- support of proprietary binary formats?
diff --git a/Setup.hs b/Setup.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/app/Main.hs b/app/Main.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Main.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+module Main where
+
+import System.Environment
+
+import ArcGrid
+
+main :: IO ()
+main = do
+  args <- getArgs
+  case args of
+    [] -> usage
+    fnames -> mapM_ printFile fnames
+
+usage :: IO ()
+usage = do
+  pname <- getProgName
+  putStrLn $ "Usage: " ++ pname ++ " <file ...>"
+
+printFile :: String -> IO ()
+printFile fn = (arcGridFromFile fn >>= putStrLn . show)
diff --git a/arcgrid.cabal b/arcgrid.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arcgrid.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name:                arcgrid
+version:             0.1.0.0
+synopsis:            Parse ESRI/ArcInfo (ArcGrid) raster GIS files
+description:         A parser for ESRI/ArcInfo (ArcGrid) files. These are raster
+                     GIS files widely used by many geographics-related software
+                     to represent elevations or terrain features.
+homepage:            https://github.com/nbrk/arcgrid
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Nikolay Burkov
+maintainer:          nbrk@linklevel.net
+category:            Geo
+build-type:          Simple
+extra-source-files:  README.md
+cabal-version:       >=1.10
+
+library
+  hs-source-dirs:      src
+  exposed-modules:     ArcGrid
+  build-depends:       base >= 4.7 && < 5
+                     , parsec
+                     , parsec-numeric
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+
+executable arcgrid-dump
+  hs-source-dirs:      app
+  main-is:             Main.hs
+  ghc-options:         -threaded -rtsopts -with-rtsopts=-N
+  build-depends:       base
+                     , arcgrid
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+
+source-repository head
+  type:     git
+  location: https://github.com/nbrk/arcgrid
diff --git a/src/ArcGrid.hs b/src/ArcGrid.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ArcGrid.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+-- | ESRI/ArcInfo ASCII Grid file format
+module ArcGrid
+  ( ArcGrid
+  , ncols
+  , nrows
+  , xllcorner
+  , yllcorner
+  , xllcenter
+  , yllcenter
+  , cellsize
+  , nodata_value
+  , vat
+
+  , arcGridFromFile
+  , asciiGridParser
+  )
+where
+
+import Data.Char
+import Text.Parsec
+import Text.Parsec.ByteString
+import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec.Numeric
+
+{-
+ - The ESRI ArcInfo ASCII Grid spec:
+ - http://resources.esri.com/help/9.3/arcgisdesktop/com/gp_toolref/spatial_analyst_tools/esri_ascii_raster_format.htm
+ -}
+
+
+data ArcGrid = ArcGrid
+               { ncols :: Int
+               , nrows :: Int
+               , xllcorner :: Maybe Float
+               , yllcorner :: Maybe Float
+               , xllcenter :: Maybe Float
+               , yllcenter :: Maybe Float
+               , cellsize :: Float
+               , nodata_value :: Maybe Int
+               , vat :: [Int] -- value attribute table
+               } deriving (Show)
+
+
+
+arcGridFromFile :: String -> IO ArcGrid
+arcGridFromFile fname = do
+  e <- parseFromFile asciiGridParser fname
+  case e of
+    Left err -> error $ show err
+    Right ag -> return ag
+
+
+-- | Both upper- and lower-case strings
+wordParser :: String -> Parser ()
+wordParser str =
+  let ucstr = map toUpper str
+      lcstr = map toLower str
+  in
+    do
+      string str <|> string ucstr <|> string lcstr
+      return ()
+
+-- | Spaces and tabs
+pvDelimParser :: Parser ()
+pvDelimParser = do
+  many1 (char ' ' <|> char '\t')
+  return ()
+
+
+-- | Parameter-value line
+pvLineParser :: String -> Parser a -> Parser a
+pvLineParser param vparser = do
+  wordParser param
+  pvDelimParser
+  val <- vparser
+  endOfLine
+  return val
+
+
+-- | Parse (x|y)llcorner xor (x|y)llcenter block. Returns (corner, center)
+cllParser :: Char -> Parser (Maybe Float, Maybe Float)
+cllParser c =
+  let cllcorner = c : "llcorner"
+      cllcenter = c : "llcenter"
+  in
+    do
+      -- try "?llcorner" first without consuming the output
+      mbcor <- optionMaybe $ try $ pvLineParser cllcorner floating
+      case mbcor of
+        Just val -> return (Just val, Nothing)
+        Nothing -> do
+          -- read "?llcenter" then
+          val <- pvLineParser cllcenter floating
+          return (Nothing, Just val)
+
+
+-- -- | Parse VAT row
+-- vatLineParser :: Int -> Parser [Int]
+-- vatLineParser ncols = do
+--   skipMany space
+--   as <- count ncols $ do
+--     a <- int
+--     space <|> newline
+--     return a
+
+--   return as
+
+vatParser :: Int -> Parser [Int]
+vatParser n = do
+  as <- count n $ do
+    spaces
+    a <- int
+    space <|> newline
+    return a
+  return as
+
+
+-- | The parser
+asciiGridParser :: Parser ArcGrid
+asciiGridParser = do
+  _ncols <- pvLineParser "ncols" decimal
+  _nrows <- pvLineParser "nrows" decimal
+
+  (_xllcorner, _xllcenter) <- cllParser 'x'
+  (_yllcorner, _yllcenter) <- cllParser 'y'
+
+  _cellsize <- pvLineParser "cellsize" floating
+  _nodata_value <- optionMaybe $ pvLineParser "NODATA_value" int
+
+  _vat <- vatParser (_ncols * _nrows)
+
+  return $ ArcGrid
+    { ncols = _ncols
+    , nrows = _nrows
+    , xllcorner = _xllcorner
+    , yllcorner = _yllcorner
+    , xllcenter = _xllcenter
+    , yllcenter = _yllcenter
+    , cellsize = _cellsize
+    , nodata_value = _nodata_value
+    , vat = _vat
+    }
+