PRIMARY SOURCES

MAPS Knowing how your state evolved, and when counties and towns developed not only gives you a better understanding about your area but can guide you in your research. Typically under utilized, maps create a sense of space that is often much easier to understand, and for many people the visual information communicates better that written descriptions. Maps of all varieties, both historic and modern, can be invaluable sources of information. United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps include topographic lines indicating an area’s terrain. Gazetteers are geographical dictionaries that include basic information about towns by state or nationally. Older editions can be particularly useful if town names or counties changed. Insurance maps, from companies such as Sanborn or Richards, can indicate what a building was made of, how many stories it had, who owned the property, the square footage and shape of the property, and where the buildings sat on the property. Plat maps, ward maps, and census enumeration district maps with boundary descriptions can be useful to find where a person lived. You Might Learn: • How your town was originally surveyed and settled • How your community grew over time • If and how the boundaries changed • About early transportation routes that no longer exist • How street numbering and naming systems changed • About the different historic subdivisions in your town • What years structures were build or torn down • The migration routes in your state or community • About local population densities • Where the historic agricultural and urban areas were located • How natural features and landmarks that might have changed • How property was divided over time Where to Find These Sources • Local history library • State archives • University libraries • Larger public libraries • Library of Congress • National Archives For more information, check out: Making Sense of Maps by David T. Stephens at History Matters