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Thanks Francis.  Actually I lazily checked the 2nd edition (1981), which I have 
in my library.  I will take a look at the 3rd ed. when I get a chance, but am 
not very optimistic that I will find significant new information there.  
Judging from the replies I have received so far, I may have to get in touch 
with people who work at the U.S.G.S. to get the full story from the oral 
tradition before it disappears.

David Allen



In a message dated 09/04/11 12:42:20 Pacific Daylight Time, 
[email protected] writes:
‘Maps for America’ by M.M. Thomson, 3rd edn (Washington DC : US Govt Printing 
Office, for USGS, 1988) is the book already cited - but not necessarily the 
edition - by David Allen in his originating enquiry.

Francis Herbert

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of 
John Wesley
Sent: 03 September 2011 19:57
To: Discussion group for map history
Subject: Re: [MapHist] History of 1:24,000 scale quadrangle maps of U.S.

David,
The USGS came out with  a book in the Eighties, I believe, "The Mapping of 
America" (or something like that) which covered much of this history.
You're right -- the completion of the final 7 1/2' quad. ( sometime in the 
Eighties, I think) went off with almost no fanfare!

Mike G.

From: Dyallen2 <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, September 3, 2011 12:24 PM
Subject: [MapHist] History of 1:24,000 scale quadrangle maps of U.S.

Often the most recent developments in the history of cartography seem to be the 
most poorly documented.  This seems to be the case with the standard 7.5 minute 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps of the United States.  I am trying to track 
down a reasonably detailed account of how they were produced during the period 
between about 1945-1965, but so far have been able to gather only bits and 
pieces of information.  From what I have been able to gather, most of these 
maps were based on aerial photographs taken during the 1930s.  They seem to 
have first been produced in quantity by the Army Map Service (AMS) during the 
war.  Most or many of the maps issued by the U.S.G.S. between 1945 -1960 seem 
to have been based on work done by the AMS.  Because of budget constraints, 
apparently almost nothing has been done to update the contour lines on these 
maps since their initial appearance, although  planimetric data has been added 
to so me of them
Does anyone know of sources that can confirm, correct, or fill out this sketch? 
 I have checked Thompson'sMaps for America, and tried to track down additional 
information via the Web.  Thanks.

David Allen
Encinitas, CA 
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