More than 130 Years of Topographic Mapping

Introduction:

Topographic maps became a signature product of the USGS because the public found them — then and now — to be a critical and versatile tool for viewing the nation's vast landscape. From the 1880's until the advent of computers and geographic information system (GIS) software, topographic maps served as the essential instrument for the integration and analysis of place-based information.
In the last quarter-century, advancing technologies have transformed topographic mapping science from the printed product to digital data and on-line based applications.

Objectives:

• Provides an historical overview of topographic mapping in the U.S. Geological Survey.
• Discover how topographic maps have been made over more than a century, from past practices to modern updates.

Instructions:

Use this USGS information site to help teach about the history of the National Program for Topographic Mapping (1884–2009) and continuing innovation into the future.