Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
• Learn how to use maps in your family history • Find out what types of maps are available in the map collection • Learn how to search for a map in the map collection • Search for a map Maps and Family History Maps are an irreplaceable part of family history research, especially if you live far from the location in which you are searching. To be truly helpful for family history, any map must show the geography and/or political boundaries as they existed when the ancestor you are researching lived there. Boundaries in the United States have changed constantly since the colonization of the east coast. Vermont, for example, was once part of New York. Counties often started out large and then were divided, sometimes several times, as populations grew. Your ancestors may have lived on the same farm for two hundred years, but their records could be in five counties because of shifting borders. Maps from specific time periods will help you find those boundaries. Types of Maps Available
• U.S. state, territory, county, and city boundaries • U.S. migration and transportation routes • Distribution of various churches in the United States • Indian reservation locations • Ethnic populations in the United States • Battles from the American Revolution and Civil War Tips for Searching the Map Collection You can search the map collection in a variety of ways. Search for maps in a specific location by entering the country, state, and city or county into the appropriate fields. Use the drop down box to search by map. Or, to search for a specific map subject, enter a keyword (i.e., American Revolution). Limit your search by adding a year range in the appropriate fields.
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