-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        1950s US National Atlas Sheets
Date:   Fri, 7 Jul 2006 16:58:12 -0400
From:   Mark A. Thomas <[log in to unmask]>
To:     <[log in to unmask]>



We received a gift of some individual sheet maps that indicate they're
part of a National Atlas of the United States (series running title:
"Sheet of the National Atlas of the United States"). These are from the
1950s, not related to the 1970 USGS publication of that title, from
which of course there were also separates published.

Does anyone know anything about the history of this earlier program? Can
point me to an article or book that discusses it?  These would form a
folio book if folded once and bound (all 16x22 inches or 41x56 cm).  The
backs are printed in two halves, as if the intention was to bind. I've
never seen that such a bound edition was ever produced, was it?

Most all of the ones we have (which are numbered from 1 to about 40) are
compiled from the 1954 Census of Agriculture (done by the Census Bureau
at that time).  There are also some that are indexes or graphics
indicating the coverage of topos, aeronautical charts, and nautical
charts in various series. These are are 3 sheets stapled together in the
corner: a sheet of the lower 48 states, one of Alaska/Hawaii, and one
example of a portion of what's being indexed (16x22 inch excerpt).
There is also a 1:36,360 map of a portion of the Sacramento River. Also
a map of US population distribution in 1950 based on a larger-scale map,
but this one is the 16x22" size.

There are references to some of these separates in the Monthly Catalogs
of the time. The agriculture ones have an "A" SuDoc number, the indexes
have "C", and the Sacramento River map an "I".  The maps list the agency
in the upper left corner, but the same running title in the upper right.
In OCLC there's a set record with an assigned title ("[Map sheets
compiled from the 1954 Census of Agriculture]") for some of these
(#63679205). There are a lot of records for the individual sheets, each
with about 6 or 7 holdings.  Monthly Catalog lists other sheets in late
50s and early 60s, from other agencies, such as Weather Bureau and
Forest Service.

Thanks to anyone who can sate my curiosity.  There was a USGS price list
in 1959 regarding the separate sheets, but I can't find it in OCLC to
ILL a copy.

--Mark
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mark Thomas / [log in to unmask] / 919-660-5853, fax:919-684-2855
Economics, Geology, Geography Bibliographer
Map and GIS Librarian / Public Documents and Maps Department
Perkins Library / Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0177