Topo Maps, Current and Historic

[SpecJet]

Some of you may have already used this amazing tool, but i just found it and am totally blown away with it.

Click on this link USGS Historical Topographic Maps | topoView

Click on the "Get Maps" at the top of the page and then watch the quick tutorial video on how to use the map viewer.

All maps, from 1880 forward are available as high'res JPG's/KMZ files for display in Google Earth/GeoTiff's or GeoPDF's.

 

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[goldenIrishman]

I love the older maps Spec! There has been a real tendency for the USGS to omit the old mine locations on the newer ones in an effort to protect us from ourselves. Hell... They did one set of updates that didn't even have the PLSS information on them! I spent a months download allotment from my old provider getting all the new maps and then I found out that many of them didn't even have the PLSS included. Wanna take a guess at how P.O.ed I was?

 

[SpecJet]

I hear you on that one. Gotta have the PLSS for field work.

The historic topo's can be a real help when researching long forgotten or obscure mining districts.
A lot of times the old mining reports or papers will give a mines location from some reference point like a town site or a railroad siding.
Most of those mining towns and railroads have long since disappeared from today's maps, so getting a hold of the maps used when the reports were written can help to narrow down a location.

The fact that all the topo's on that site are geo-referenced makes it easy to import into a moving map GPS so you can take it into the field.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters has had the Historic Topos as well as the current Topos, the Historical Shoreline Surveys and the Forest Service Topos available for download from the Topo Download Map for over a year.

I think you will find the ability to use the Land Matters zoom box a lot quicker and easier than the new USGS Leaflet map. USGS had a good map interface but they had to "improve" it.

Land Matters 275,865 Topo maps available for download... USGS 171,231 Topo maps available for download - your choice.

The Historical Shoreline Surveys are very detailed with fishing shacks and weirs marked out. Very useful for the smart detectorist.

Even better for prospectors Land Matters offers the U.S. Geologic Index Map where you can download Geologic Folios and Geologic Quadrangles from the map. These are the "topos" of the geology world. Some are historic others are new. Check out your area to see what's available.

Heavy Pans

 

[goldenIrishman]

We're just trying to help you to keep the bandwidth on the site down Clay. We've got to get something for our tax dollars after all...

 

[Clay Diggins]

We're just trying to help you to keep the bandwidth on the site down Clay. We've got to get something for our tax dollars after all...

Bandwidth isn't a problem GI.

The USGS pays for all that bandwidth on the downloads whether you go through the Land Matter Map or theirs. We are working with them now on a few projects and they are one of the most cooperative government agencies.

Use whichever map you prefer. I just wanted to make it known that we have more maps available than just the ones on that USGS site. It's all about the research and whatever works for you.

Heavy Pans

 

[winners58]

They must draw the lines on those Topo maps by hand
from the omnibus spending bill Dec. 15th 2015
Page 727
2016REPT \OMNI FinalOmni \ CPRT-114-HPRT-RU00-SAHR2029-AMNT1.xml
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

SURVEYS , INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
For expenses necessary for the United States Geo-
logical Survey to perform surveys, investigations, and re-
search covering topography, geology, hydrology, biology,
and the mineral and water resources of the United States,
its territories and possessions, and other areas as author-
ized by 43 U.S.C. 31, 1332, and 1340; classify lands as
to their mineral and water resources; give engineering su-
pervision to power permittees and Federal Energy Regu-
latory Commission licensees; administer the minerals ex-
ploration program (30 U.S.C. 641); conduct inquiries into
the economic conditions affecting mining and materials
processing industries (30 U.S.C. 3, 21a, and 1603; 50
U.S.C. 98g(1)) and related purposes as authorized by law;
and to publish and disseminate data relative to the fore-
going activities; $1,062,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2017; of which $57,637,189 shall remain
available until expended for satellite operations; and of
which $7,280,000 shall be available until expended for de-
ferred maintenance and capital improvement projects that
exceed $100,000 in cost: Provided , That none of the funds
provided for the ecosystem research activity shall be used
to conduct new surveys on private property, unless specifi-
cally authorized in writing by the property owner: Pro-
vided further , That no part of this appropriation shall be
used to pay more than one-half the cost of topographic
mapping or water resources data collection and investiga-
tions carried on in cooperation with States and municipali-
ties.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
From within the amount appropriated for activities
of the United States Geological Survey such sums as are
necessary shall be available for contracting for the fur-
nishing of topographic maps and for the making of geo-
physical or other specialized surveys when it is administra-
tively determined that such procedures are in the public
interest; construction and maintenance of necessary build-
ings and appurtenant facilities; acquisition of lands for
gauging stations and observation wells; expenses of the
United States National Committee for Geological
Sciences; and payment of compensation and expenses of
persons employed by the Survey duly appointed to rep-
resent the United States in the negotiation and adminis-
tration of interstate compacts: Provided, That activities
funded by appropriations herein made may be accom-
plished through the use of contracts, grants, or coopera-
tive agreements as defined in section 6302 of title 31
.
Read omnibus spending bill text