Historical Topographic Maps - Preserving the Past
Explore Historical USGS Topographic Maps
The Historical Topographic Map Collection contains USGS topographic maps published from 1884 to 2006
topoBuilder
Create custom USGS topographic maps on demand using the best available data from The National Map
The goal of The National Map’s Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC) is to provide a digital repository of USGS 1:250,000 scale and larger maps printed between 1884 and 2006.
Get Topo Maps
Current US Topos and historical topographic maps are available as digital files or printed to order.
Create an OnDemand Topo
Build a USGS topographic map with choice of format, area of interest, scale, and National Map content.
Legacy U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Maps
The Historical Topographic Map Collection, or HTMC, provides a comprehensive digital repository of all scales and all editions of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) printed topographic maps that is easily discovered, browsed, and downloaded by the public at no cost.
In 2011, the USGS National Geospatial Program began publishing scans of 1:250,000-scale and larger topographic maps printed between 1884, the inception of the topographic mapping program, and 2006, when the final maps created using traditional cartographic methods and lithographic printing processes were published. Many of these maps are no longer available for distribution in print.
Today, the HTMC contains over 185,000 high-resolution, georeferenced digital files, with accompanying metadata, representing these legacy maps.
Accessing the HTMC
The National Map Downloader is the primary portal for finding and downloading maps and other data products of the USGS National Geospatial Program.
The topoView application provides a visual overview of the HTMC and serves maps in additional formats.
The USGS Store website offers map downloads and sells prints of map files, including USGS maps and publications that are not included in either the US Topo series or HTMC.
A Glimpse into the Past
Although the historical maps may not show the current landscape, they are often useful to scientists, historians, environmentalists, genealogists, and many others as a snapshot of the nation's physical and cultural features at a particular time. A series of maps of the same area may show how it looked as early as the 1880s and provide a detailed view of changes in that area over time.
As the USGS continues the production of the current generation of topographic maps (US Topo), the topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry, land management planning, and recreation.
