Dalia Varanka Michael P. Finn E. Lynn Usery 2009 On December 4–5, 1884, John Wesley Powell persuaded the U.S. Congress to authorize the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to begin systematic topographic mapping of the United States. application/pdf en ESRI A 125 year history of topographic mapping and GIS in the U.S. Geological Survey 1884-2009, part 1: 1884-1980 article