Maps and Atlases: Topographic Maps
This research guide serves as a guide to print topographic maps available in the Atlas and Map Collection and to topographic maps available on the Internet.
Table of Contents:
Other Places to Look: |
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Guides to Topographic Mapping
- World Mapping Today (Pary and Perkins) 2002 (ref GA 105.3 P37 2002) On a country-by-country basis details the status of national mapping programs , including major thematic and topographic map products. Includes graphic indexes for many series.
Understanding Topographic Maps
USGS Topographic Maps provides an overview of USGS topographic maps including their characteristics, production, and history. Maps for America (US Geological Survey) 1981 (Docs I 19.2:M32/12 1981) includes detailed information on the characteristics, natural features, cultural features, boundaries, names, marginalia, projection, reference systems, and geodetic control found on topographic maps.
- Topographic Map Symbols:
- Topographic Map Grids:
- Latitude/longitude - see Latitude and Longitude for an an introductory description. Geocoder will convert an address or zip code to lat/long coordinates.
- Public Land Survey grid - see The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) for an introduction to the public land survey and a map of the 34 principal meridians and base lines in the United States.
In California there are three base meridians--San Bernadino, Mt. Diablo, and Humboldt. The initial point of the Humboldt Meridian was established on the summit of Mt. Pierce on October 6, 1853 by surveyor Colonel Henry Washington.
The Township Geocoder converts Latitude and Longitude (Lat/Long) values into Township, Range and Section values; and Township, Range and Section values can be converted into polygon centroids in Lat/Long format.
Township and Range-Public Land Survey System on Google Earth displays townships, one-mile sections and quarter-sections on Google Earth. You can also enter a township and range and "fly" to the location in Google Earth. - Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) - see Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Grid for additional information.
- State Place Coordinate System (SPCS) - see State Plane Coordinate System for additional information. Gridding may be based on the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27) or the more recent North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83).
- Topographic Map Placenames:
Topographic Map Symbols (paper copies kept in the vertical filing cabinets in the Map and Atlas Collection) lists symbols found on USGS topographic maps. Information about specific survey control points or benchmarks found on each topographic map is maintained in the NGS Data Sheets database maintained by the National Geodetic Survey.
Four grid systems are shown on most USGS topographic maps:
Geographic Names Information System (U.S. Geological Survey) Contains information on 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States. The database includes all names appearing on USGS 1:24,000 topographic maps, USFS maps, National Ocean Service nautical charts, National Park Service maps and other sources. Includes over 100,000 historical entries for places that no longer exist. Information provided for each entry includes the name as recognized by the U.S. Board on Geographical Names, type of feature, country, geographic coordinates, and the USGS topographic quadrangle on which the feature is found. Each entry includes links to more than 10 mapping services, e.g., Google Maps.
Indexes to Topographic Maps
The following options are available for finding topographic maps in print format in the HSU Library or on the Internet:
| Starting Information | Site |
| Placename (city, county, feature) Address Zip Code Clickable US Map Map Name State List (alphabetical) Lat/Long Coordinate Township/Range UTM Coordinate State Plane Coordinate |
GNIS MapMart or USGS Store OmniMap or MapMart MapLink or MapMart or USGS Store MapMart or USGS Store or OmniMap State Topographic Map Lists MapLink or MapMart MapMart MapMart MapMart |
Print Maps in the HSU Library
- Large- scale (detailed) topographic maps---U.S. Geological Survey quadrangles
- Maps Available:
- Geographic Coverage:
- Arrangement:
- Indexes:
- Historical Topographic Quadrangles:
- Intermediate-scale topographic maps
- U.S.--1:250,000 (US Geological Survey) (G 3700 s250 U5) Series of 600 topographic maps covering all 50 states. See index on Map Display Panel.
- U.S.--1:100,000 (US Geological Survey) (G 3700 s100 U5) Topographic map series covering the contiguous U.S. See index on Map Display Panel.
- Joint Operations Graphic (US National Imagery and Mapping Agency) (G 3200 s250 U5) Topographic map series at a scale of 1:250,000. See index on Map Display Panel. Library has coverage mainly of Europe.
- Americas--1:250,000 (G 3290 s250 P3) Map series at a scale of 1:250,000 published by individual Latin American countries and coordinated by the Pan American Institute of Geography and History. See index in the Map Filing Cabinet.
- In addition search individual countries for intermediate-scale topographic map series available for that country.
- Small-scale topographic maps
- Tactical Pilotage Chart (US National Imagery and Mapping Agency) (G 3201 P6 s500 U5) Aeronautical chart series at a scale of 1:500,000 showing topographic features by color relief and contouring. See index on Map Display Panel.
- International Map of the World (G 3200 s1000 U5) Older series of 700 maps at a scale of 1:1,000,000 published by individual countries and coordinated by the United Nations. See index on Map Display Panel.
- Operational Navigation Chart (US National Imagery and Mapping Agency) (G 3201 P6 s1000 U5) Aeronautical chart series at a scale of 1:1,000,000 showing topographic features by shaded relief and contouring. See index on Map Display Panel.
The Library keeps the most recent edition of US Geological Survey 1:24,000 scale (7 1/2 minute) topographic quadrangles and all older 1:62,500 scale (15 minute) topographic quadrangles. Also integrated alphabetically into the topographic map collection are 1:50,000 scale maps produced by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and northwestern. Superceded topographic maps and 1:24,000 scale orthophotoquad maps of northwestern California are located in the Humboldt Room.
The Library has a complete collection of topographic maps for California, Oregon and Washington and partial collections for Alaska, Arizona and Nevada.
Within each state all maps are filed alphabetically by the quadrangle name.
The California Topographic Map Index is displayed on the Map Display Panel in the Atlas and Map Collection and is a gridded index for the entire state. Catalogs and indexes for other states are filed in the vertical filing cabinets in the Atlas and Map Collection. In addition the indexes above can be used to find a quadrangle name, depending on what you know as a starting point.
Available on microfilm (MF 2370) is a complete historical collection of California, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona topographic quadrangles dating from 1884 to 1972 compiled by the USGS and other federal agencies. The Map Index to Topographic Quadrangles of the United States, 1882-1940 (ref GA 405 M64 1985) provides indexing for this microfilm set. Obsolete USGS topographical maps of California (Los Angeles Public Library) contains an alphabetical list of historical California topos along with dates of publication.
Internet Maps
- United States--Current
- ACME Mapper (AMCE Laboratories) Use a Google Maps interface to navigate to a location anywhere in the world, or enter an location name (US street address or zip code, city name anywhere in the world or latitude/longitude. Display options include a street map, topographic maps (US only), terrain, aerial photography (US only), satellite imagery, and NEXRAD color imagery. Options allow one to change coordinates (lat/long, UTM, geotags) and track coordinates.
- Map Finder for Google Earth (Digital Data Services) .KML file for Google Earth or Google Maps that serves as an index to all USGS 1:24:000 topographic maps. After locating your quad click on the bubble icon to download a free TIF image.
- Maptech MapServer: Topographic Maps (Maptech) Contains a seamless collection of USGS 1:24,000, 1:100,000, and 1:250,000 digital topographic maps (digital raster graphics) for the contiguous United States. Search for maps by placename, zip code, or geographic coordinate. One can pan to adjacent maps and display each map at 100% or 50% resolution. Print, save, or email what is being displayed.
- TerraServer-USA Contains a complete seamless collection of USGS digital topographic maps (digital raster graphics) for the United States. The geographic area that can be displayed on screen has three settings--small, medium, and large. Resolution of the displayed map can be adjusted from 2 meters to 128 meters. Maps can be located using four search options--address, placename, geographic coordinate, or clicking on an image map. Maps can be downloaded in .jpeg format. There are also links to digital orthophotoquad images and natural color relief maps which cover the same geographic area.
- U.S. Topographic Map (National Geographic Society) Collection of seemless USGS topographic maps of the United States. Search by placename or use the interactive mapper to zoom to the desired location. Maps include shaded relief highlighting. Maps can be displayed in two window sizes. Measuring and marking tools are available for customizing the displayed map.
- USGS Store - Map Locator (US Geological Survey) Search and locate 1:24,000, 1:100,000 and 1:250,000 topographic maps of the United States and Antarctica if available. Order paper maps from the USGS Store or download maps in GeoPDF format. A free GeoPDF toolbar plug-in is available that allows you to view coordinates, measure distance and area, zoom to a coordinate and connect to a GPS device.
- USGS Topographic Map Overlay (3D Solar) A seamless collection of USGS topographic maps that can be uploaded to Google Earth as a .KML Google Earth layer. Requires installation of Google Earth.
- Digital Raster Graphics (DRGs) - Digital Raster Graphics are images of
scanned USGS 7.5 minute topographic maps that can be viewed separately or used in
GIS applications. DRGs are gridded into
1 degree blocks of longitude and latitute,
each containing 64 DRGs in 8 rows and 8 columns. Each DRg is assigned a USGS Map Reference Code (MRC) using this grid, e.g., 40124-E1 for Eureka. The USGS Status Graphics Viewer will give you the MRC if needed.
DRGs for the entire United States are available for downloading at the USGS Store and the GIS Data Depot. In addition many states and regions also have DRGs available for downloading, e.g., California. GeoPDF DRG's downloaded from the USGS Store can be viewed and manipulated using the free GeoPDF Toolbar that installs in the Adobe Reader.
- United States--Historical
- Coastal Topographic Sheets (T-sheets) (US Coast Survey) Highly detailed topographic maps of the shorelines and waterways of the United States. Maps date from 1834 to 1911. The "T-Sheets" contain a lot of historical information such as locations of buildings and detailed descriptions of shorelines.
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General Land Office (GLO) Survey Plats and Field Notes (US Bureau of Land Management) Survey plats and field notes are the official documents resulting from the survey of federal public domain lands by the US General Land Office. From an historical perspective survey plats and field notes give a picture of the land during its original settlement and are now used extensively by title companies, surveyors, historians, genealogists, biogeographers and other researchers. Survey plats in many instances are the first maps of an area and show the locations of rivers, early settlements, roads, forts, and trails as well as topographic features.
The original purpose of the survey was to divide the vast public domain into lots that could be sold to raise funds for the federal government and to encourage settlement of the public domain and has its origins in the Land Ordinance of 1785. Land title was transferred from the federal government to individuals through land patents. Survey work was done using the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) which divided the public domain into six-mile square townships and one-mile square sections. The PLSS was utilized in 30 states and resulted in 133,000 survey plats and 2.75 million pages of field notes that date from the 1820s.
Surveyors first created field notes describing in detail each mile of line surveyed; monuments placed; terrain over which they passed; and nature of the soil, vegetation and timber, salt licks, and other items of economic interest. Survey plats are the graphic representation of the information contained in the field notes. They show the PLSS boundaries (e.g. section boundary lines) and some of the physical and cultural features found in the notes.
- Early Washington Maps: A Digital Collection (University of Washington Map Collection) Collection of historical 30 minute maps of Washington.
- Historic Digital North Carolina Topographic Maps (North Carolina State University) Map dates range from the late 1800s to the 1960s. Scales vary from 1:250,000 (15 minute coverage area) to 1:62,500 (7.5 minute coverage area).
- Historic Topo Maps (Google Earth Library) Includes over 1,000 historic USGS topographic maps available in various scales dating back to the late 1800s in some areas. Currently, most of the coverage is in the western United States and California. Requires installation of Google Earth. Maps are a .KML Google Earth transparent layer.
- Historic Topographic Maps of Nevada and Its Borders (University of Nevada Mary B. Ansari Map Library) Collection of 60-, 30- and 15 minute historic topographic quads dating from 1863 to1968.
- Historic USGS Maps (Broer Map Library) Contains a selection of historical topographic maps for most states.
- Historic USGS Maps of New England & NY (University of New Hampshire Library) Includes historical topographic maps for Conneticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
- Gulf Coast Historic Maps (US Geological Survey) Collection of 300 historic topographic map images of the US Gulf Coast in uncompressed geoTiff format that were prepared following Hurricane Katrina.
- Historical Maps (MapTech): Contains historical topographic maps for 13 northeastern U.S. states and Ohio
- Pennsylvania 15' Topo Maps (Pennsylvania State University Map Library)
- Southwest U.S. Geological Survey Maps (Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies) Includes images of 61 early USGS topographic maps of the four corners region of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.
- USGS 1900 era Ohio Quadranges (Titchenal and Rails and Trails.com): Collection of 15 minute quadrangles of Ohio published between 1889 and 1916.
- California--Current - See California Maps--Topographic--Current
- California--Historical - See California Maps--Topographic--Historical
- Other Countries and Regions
- Toporama (Canadian Center for Topographic Information) Contains raster images that correspond in part to 1:250,000 and 1:50,000 Canadian National Topographic Data Base maps; and ortho images converted from Landsat 7 imagery. Search using a clickable map or enter a geographic coordinate.
- Digital Topographic Map Sets (UC Berkeley Earth Sciences and Map Library) Contains index graphics and scanned images of Soviet Union topographic map sets for individual countries at scales of 1:50,000 to 1:200,000.
- U.S. Army Map Service Topographic Maps (US Army Map
Service) Includes approximately 450 topographic map series produced
by the AMS and its successor agencies (Defense Mapping Agency, National
Imagery and Mapping Agency, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency).
These series were distributed to participating map libraries beginning
in 1945. These maps are now historical in nature in that they reflect
the political and cultural features of the time period in addition
to the topography. Scales vary but many are 1:250,000. Some series
still offer the most detailed topographic map coverage for the area.
The HSU Library became a depository for the Defense Mapping Agency
in 1976. Series received include the Joint Operations
Graphic, Tactical Pilotage Chart
and Operational Navigation Chart listed above.
Indexes
- Index Maps: AMS Series / U.S. Army Map Service GSGS / Great Britain. War Office. General Staff. Geographical Section (UC Berkeley Earth Sciences and Map Library) Includes approximately 230 indexes to AMS and GSGS series.
- Index to the Defense Mapping Agency/Army Map Service Depository Catalogs. (Crotts) 1977 (Western Association of Map Libraries Information Bulletin, March 1977, pp 124-132)
Digital Collections
- Army Map Service Topographic Map Series (University of Texas Perry-Castaneda Map Library) Approximately 25 AMS series have been digitized.
- Army Map Service Series L500 of China (Harvard College Library Map Collection)