Historical kmz files

As the years passed, the USGS produced new map versions of each area. TopoView shows the many and varied topographic maps of each of these areas through history. This can be particularly useful for historical purposes, such as finding the names of natural and cultural features that have changed over time.

Geologic mapping and topographic mapping at the USGS have a long tradition together see report. These maps are modeled on the familiar 7. This benefits non-specialist map users, as well as applications that need traditional maps. We looked at how researchers can use Google Earth to put their own ancestors on the map and organize the information in their family tree in fascinating new ways.

But even if you aren't using Google Earth, these tools can be used with just a web browser and will still help your research. The latest NY records news, expert genealogy tips, and fascinating stories delivered twice a month to your inbox! Thanks to a process called georeferencing, we can download digitized historical maps and import them into Google Earth.

Here is an example of what the Google Earth map interface looks like without any imported historical maps:. And here is what the same exact area looks like, with a georeferenced, digitized historical map loaded into the program:.

In general, the best way to determine if a digital map can be imported into Google Earth is to see if there is a version of the map available as a file that ends with the extension.

Most operating systems will automatically associate. This means you just need to download the. One challenge of New York research is that many of our ancestors populated the state while local, regional, and national territorial boundaries were evolving.

An ancestor could have lived in one county during one census, and another in the next census without ever having moved their residence—this makes looking for records challenging and creates the possibility that we may be investigating repositories in the wrong county.

The Newberry Atlas of Historical County Boundaries is the perfect tool to meet this challenge head-on. A project of the Newberry Library in Chicago, this website is a fantastic resource for exploring the changing boundaries of counties in all 50 states. RONA Feb ELLA Feb EVE Oct HSK Jan HSK Mar GERT Sep DAN Oct PETE Jan CAM Sep DORA Aug BART Sep DANI Jan EHSK Mar ANN Sep ZIA Sep BRET Aug HSK Feb Mar 1.

YORK Sep DHSK Feb HSK Feb SAM Aug ALDA Jan TS Jul NEIL Jul LEO Apr May 3. KATE Apr IRIS Feb HSK Dec CORA Dec LISA Oct GIL Dec HSK Sep Oct 2. DAWN Nov ALAN Apr HSK Jul HSK Apr CHIP Nov ONE-C Aug BABS Oct YALI Mar ZEB Oct MAY Feb WES Jan Feb 5. BLAS Jun TUI Jan LES Jan Feb 2.

AHSK Jan TODD Sep RON Jan TD Aug Sep 6. REX Aug Sep 9. OTTO Aug MORT Nov RICK Nov PAM Dec SID Dec OSEA Nov HSKM Jul NUTE Nov JOAN Oct IVAN Oct HSK Oct BILL Jul ELLA Sep LUSI Oct ANA Jun Jul 5. KELI Jun HSK May CASS Aug IAN Apr HINA Mar ZITA Aug YULE Aug ONE-C Jul ITA Feb OPAL Jun EVAN Jan ISA Apr LILI Oct GREG Dec KYLE Oct FERN Dec BETI Mar DALE Nov ZAKA Mar HSK Sep ATU Mar AHSK Aug TD Oct Nov 4.

ALMA Jun BETH Oct TOM Sep NIKI Aug LISA Aug IAN Jul Aug 1. JOY Jul Aug 6. EVE Jul DAN Jul CAM May BART May ANN Mar Apr TD Feb Mar 2. DAN Dec Jan 3. B Dec TD Nov Dec 5. EMMA Dec GIL Aug WARD Oct LIDY Mar VAL Oct TED Oct RYAN Sep NINA Sep LOIS Aug FAYE Jul ELI May Jun 9. YURI Oct AXEL Dec NONA Oct ROSA Oct PAUL Sep USHA0 Mar A Oct TD Sep Oct 6. TIM Mar Apr 3. MELE Sep PAT Sep NAT Sep LUKE Sep LI Jul Aug IVY Feb IVY Aug Sep 5.

FRED Aug AMY Jul Aug 1. WALT Jul ZEKE Jul TIM Jul TD Jun Jul 6. PAGE May ADEL May MAX Sep Oct 4. KYLE Nov OLI Feb MICK Feb IRA Oct Nov 5. ONE May Jun 3.

LIN Jan Feb 5. The downloaded Atlas shapefiles can be added as a layer to the ArcMap application. ArcMap provides several tools for working with the date-coding incorporated in these shapefiles. The KMZ files are unprojected, and do not include unsuccessful county proposals.

The KMZ file will then be added to the Temporary Places panel, and the state's historical county boundaries will be overlaid on aerial photography of the United States.

This time slider can then be used to view the boundaries at a specific date, or to view an animation of the state's boundary changes over time.

The time slider properties can be adjusted to modify the animation speed, or to view a smaller time span in more detail. With Google Earth, it is possible to compare the historical county boundaries with geographical features such as rivers, lakes, and mountain ridges.

The historical boundaries can also be compared to a large variety of layer information available in Google Earth, such as streets, populated places, and modern administrative boundaries.