PLSS MAP

This is a PLSS map of the Opalene Gulch quadrangle in Owyhee County, Idaho. It clearly represents the way land was originally divided by the government with the Public Land Survey System. It was being used in 1990 to adjudicate Idaho water rights by the Idaho Department of Water Resources. This map is a good illustration of the regular and irregular subdivision of sections to accommodate natural features like this river valley. Since the government claimed ownership of navigable water bodies they were forced to deviate from the norm which resulted in unequal land partitioning.

Link to website source:
http://www.idwr.idaho.gov/gisdata/tech_note/adjudica.htm

CADASTRAL MAP

This is a cadastral map of the Clifton area in Fairfax County, VA published by the Fairfax County Office of Comprehensive Planning in 1977. It shows the boundaries, owners name and acreage of each land parcel reflected in land grants from the 1700s. These parcels appear to be laid over natural features and more current man-made features like roads, pipe lines and town boundaries. The circled numbers may represent the land grant number or parcel number as witnessed in a title or deed. I love old maps and am fascinated with the way land was divided and claimed.

Link to website source:
http://cliftonva.us/OurTown/History/BrigadooninVA/tabid/106/ctl/Details/mid/468/ItemID/14/Default.aspx

THEMATIC MAP

This is a thematic map of Canada based on land cover which represents the surface properties of the land. This type of information is used to determine land use and value. In studying the map, it looks like the two most extensive land cover types in Canada are evergreen needle leaf forest and low vegetation/barren. I would guess that the big cities are shown on the map to give it perspective and a locational bearing. It would be interesting to compare this to a population map of the country. I think this is a great example of a “pretty” thematic map but it would have to be printed on a large scale to see any real detail of a specific area.

Link to website source:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/mapsgeo/example2.htm

TOPOGRAPHIC MAP

This is a topographic (topo) map of a Wilderness Nature Trail in Lockport, New York. The 112-acre nature preserve boundaries are shown by a white outline and the map is rotated with south at the top. Topo maps generally reflect great detail including natural and man-made features and show relief in some measurable form. The curvy brown lines represent contours indicating the elevation in feet above see level at five foot intervals. You can see that there is a dashed black line illustrating an unimproved road going into the preserve and a creek is evident by the wavy blue-green line. The terrain varies greatly and where the contour lines get close it indicates a steep slope or drastic change in elevation. The small light blue shape to the left of the entrance road is a lake or wetland area. These maps are fantastic if you are looking for detail and want to really study the landscape. Our trail club uses local topo maps in the beginning stages of trail layouts to avoid the abundant wetlands and swamps in our area and to practice proper trail design.

Link to website source:
http://www.lockport-ny.com/Tourism/parks11.htm

PLANIMETRIC MAP

This is a planimetric map of Lake George, New York available from the New York State GIS department. By definition, a planimetric map displays only the x,y locations of features and represents only horizontal distances. This map contains great detail which includes local roads, marinas along the shore, a boat launch, parks and historical sites. It would be a great map to use if you were exploring or traveling in the area. If you added relief to this it might become to jumbled and hard to read. This certainly re-enforces the importance of knowing your audience and what the map will be used for.

Link to website source:

http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/mapssales/paper/pap_quad.htm

MENTAL MAP

This is a mental map of Coal City, Illinois in the 1940's. The author of a world geography book is illustrating the memory of her neighborhood when she was a child. Note the child like references to specific places and people who had an impact on her life. Mental maps are considered highly abstracted representations of real world locations and show a person's personal perception of their own world. This is certainly evident with this map and the detailed depictions and descriptions such as the family dog, her father walking to the depot, the spot where her mother killed chickens and Ms. Bush's scary old house. I think this is a great example of a mental map and how one person's memory of childhood influenced the scale and placement of things on the map.

Link to website source:
http://www.uky.edu/~ulack/Geo152/Syllabus152Fall05.htm