Mapping America From Lewis and Clark to the USGS
Many
of the rare maps that shaped the plans of Jefferson and Lewis and Clark have
been preserved. This web site presents some of those maps, the
map Clark produced after his journey, as well as a
mapping timeline from the 18th to the 21st centuries.
 With today's computer technology, maps are
available to everyone and they are easy to create and update.
 The
National Atlas of the United States
includes five distinct products and services. In addition to providing
high-quality, small-scale maps, the Atlas includes authoritative national
geospatial and geostatistical data sets. Examples of digital geospatial data
include soils, county boundaries, volcanoes, and watersheds. Crime patterns,
population distribution, and incidence of disease are examples of geostatistical
data. This information is tied to specific geographic areas and is categorized
and indexed using different methods, such as county, State, and zip code
boundaries or geographic coordinates like latitude and longitude. These data are
collected and integrated to a consistent set of standards for reliability.
 Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark gained their first knowledge about the topography of the
West from Indians and traders. They used and drew maps on animal skins and
sketches in the dirt. Today's explorers, scientists, educators, students, and
the general public have it much easier. With the arrival of The
National Map, users will be able to "travel" up and down the
Lewis and Clark Trail via an updated, seamless map on the Internet. They will
also be able to explore the rest of the country in the same way.
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