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Fact Sheet 2011–3009

Historical Topographic Map Collection

Scanning and Georeferencing Historical USGS Quadrangles

By L.R. Davis and G.J. Allord

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (514 KB)Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial Program is scanning published USGS 1:250,000-scale and larger topographic maps printed between 1884, the inception of the topographic mapping program, and 2006. The goal of this scanning, which started in 2011, is to provide a digital repository of USGS topographic maps, available to the public at no cost. For more than 125 years, the USGS topographic maps have accurately portrayed the complex geography of the Nation. The USGS is the Nation’s largest producer of printed topographic maps, and, prior to 2006, USGS topographic maps were created using traditional cartographic methods and printed using a lithographic process. As the USGS continues release of a new generation of topographic maps (US Topo) in electronic form, the topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry, land management planning, and leisure.

First posted January 19, 2011

Revised May 18, 2015

For additional information, contact:
Director, National Geospatial Program
U.S. Geological Survey
1400 Independence Road
Rolla, MO 65401
http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/
http://nationalmap.gov/historical/

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Suggested citation:

Davis, L.R., and Allord, G.J., 2015, Scanning and georeferencing historical USGS quadrangles (ver. 2.0, May 2015): U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2011–3009, 2 p., https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20113009.

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)




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