User:Dotxinoz/usmaps

Standardizing U.S. State Map Pages

To learn more about maps in general, go to the  Maps Record Page.

Online Maps

 * David Rumsey Historical Maps Collection
 * Old Maps Online Collection
 * Library of Congress Maps Collection
 * Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
 * Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
 * Harvard University Scanned Maps
 * UWM American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection
 * University of California Berkeley Library
 * MapofUS.org. Includes boundary changes map.
 * Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Tips for Using Maps
Maps must be used carefully for several reasons: Several types of maps are useful for genealogists. Some give historical background of the area or show migration routes such as roads, rivers, and railroads. Topographical maps show physical features, such as creeks and hills, and man-made features, such as roads, cemeteries, and churches. Plat and land ownership maps and other types of maps are described in United States Maps.
 * There are often several places with the same name. You may want to use a  Gazetteer to help you.
 * The spelling and even names of some towns may have changed since your ancestor lived there.
 * Boundaries changed over time. Use historical maps to understand boundary changes.

For more tips and information on using maps, go to the general Maps Record Page.

Types of Maps
Different types of maps help you in different ways, for example:
 * Historical atlases describe the growth and development of countries, showing boundaries, migration routes, settlement patterns, military campaigns, and other historical information.
 * Road atlases are useful because of the detail they provide.
 * Other types of maps include: parish maps, state maps, tourist maps, topographical maps, and air navigation maps. City maps are extremely helpful when researching in large cities.

To learn more about different types of maps, go to the general Maps Record Page.

Historical Maps Collections
Historical map collections are helpful because they can show you the geography of your ancestor's residence at or around the time they lived there. The following collection is helpful:

For information about this collection see:
 * Georgia University Virtual Valult


 * Blake, Janice Gayle, Pre-Nineteenth Century Maps in the Collection of the Georgia Surveyor General Department. (Atlanta, Georgia: Surveyor General Department, 1976.)


 * Johnsen, Margaret A, Nineteenth Century Maps in the Collection of the Georgia Surveyor General Department. (Atlanta, Georgia: Surveyor General Department, 1981.)

Resources

 * Jargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library Maps Database - University of Georgia