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→Types of Maps
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To select the right kind of map to solve a genealogical problem, it is helpful to know what kinds of information each type of map displays.<ref>Most of the information from this section is taken from ''More than One Kind of Map'', by George G Morgan, Orem, Utah: Ancestry.com, 08 September 2000 [http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Article.aspx?id=2299 http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Article.aspx?id=2299]</ref> | To select the right kind of map to solve a genealogical problem, it is helpful to know what kinds of information each type of map displays.<ref>Most of the information from this section is taken from ''More than One Kind of Map'', by George G Morgan, Orem, Utah: Ancestry.com, 08 September 2000 [http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Article.aspx?id=2299 http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Article.aspx?id=2299]</ref> | ||
*'''Atlases''' | *'''Atlases''': bound collections of maps. | ||
*'''Historical atlases''' are especially useful because they tend to plot | *'''Historical atlases''' are especially useful because they tend to plot historic towns and landmarks more accurately than old maps do in relation to jurisdictional boundaries and geographic features. | ||
*'''Census maps''' | *'''Census maps''' If you know your ancestor's address (or general area of residence in rural areas), census maps showing enumeration district boundaries can indicate where in the census rolls to search for the ancestor. | ||
*'''Chamber of commerce maps''' | *'''Chamber of commerce maps''' show streets, government offices, courthouses, libraries, businesses, museum archives, and important landmarks. You can usually obtain them for free from the city/town's chamber of commerce. | ||
*'''City and town | *'''City and town maps''' show detailed street information, addresses, rail and mass transit routes, and landmarks. | ||
*'''County, Parish, or Province maps '''show roads, cemeteries, landmarks, local boundaries, and physical features. | *'''County, Parish, or Province maps ''' show roads, cemeteries, landmarks, local boundaries, and physical features. | ||
*'''Fire | *'''Fire insurance maps (Sanborn maps)''' of 12,000 cities and towns yield street names and specific properties and addresses starting in 1867. Using these with city directories can help locate urban ancestors in a given year. | ||
*'''Land ownership (cadastral) maps and plat books''' show boundaries of land plots, and usually the owners' names. | *'''Land ownership (cadastral) maps and plat books''' show boundaries of land plots, and usually the owners' names. | ||
*'''Military maps''' show extreme detail regarding geographical features, terrain, landmarks, natural resources, place names, and landmarks. | *'''Military maps''' show extreme detail regarding geographical features, terrain, landmarks, natural resources, place names, and landmarks. | ||
*'''Railroad maps''' indicate preferred routes of travel during an era where the routes changed from one year to the next. These also aid in tracking | *'''Railroad maps''' indicate preferred routes of travel during an era where the routes changed from one year to the next. These also aid in tracking the possible whereabouts of railroad employees since many railroads merged or changed names. | ||
*'''Topographic or geologic maps''' show | *'''Topographic or geologic maps''' show terrain, natural resources (forests, mining resources), and features that affected travel (rivers, rapids, canals, mountains, mountain passes, canyons). | ||
== Helpful Terminology == | == Helpful Terminology == | ||