Chapter 10: Google Maps

[Didi]

For genealogical purposes, I use Google Earth to track land patents on the map, creating a little "pushpin" with a label for each one. It is a wonderful visual aid in keeping track of which families or family members lived where and when, who and where their neighbors and spousal families were, etc. Since it is satellite images, you can also see topographic features, old mines, water courses, buildings that are still standing, old foundations, etc. Google Earth is free and easy to use, but you will need another little program, Earth Point, with Google Earth (small subscription, very well worth it). And of course you need the coordinates of the land from a printed or digital source. The BLM-glor site is searchable for federal land patents by surname and state.

[Didi]

Liz wrote: "This is the thread where we will post discussion about this chapter. Please post your comments in the correct chapter topic to make it easier for all to follow along. (I doubt that spoilers will ..."

While trolling through records, I keep this free site open and use the interactive map tool for various states at this site: http://www.familyhistory101.com. You can view and read descriptions of national, territorial, state, and county boundaries over a timeline, either by going to the next change year or viewing changes as a slide show.

[Didi]

Animap is nice, but I used it on a friend's computer once a few months ago and didn't find it to be much better than the free site I use.

To find the interactive maps on http://www.familyhistory101.com

You will see on the home page a small drop down box highlighted in yellow on the left hand near the top says:
View Other States
"Choose State"

Then on the state page, you may find it in different ways. Look for something like interactive maps, maps, active mapping tool, etc.

On Missouri, for example, the "MO maps" link is on the red menu bar at the top of the page.

Then you will go to a page that has big gray bars to link to your map type.

On the Missouri page, you would want to choose "Rotating....."

PS: Some good antique maps and atlases to buy on these sites for various states, but I just find the title and search for it with Google to find it downloadable for free, lol. In general, except for the interactive maps, I don't find that this website is terribly good for my purposes, as they do like to charge for just about everything you would really like to see and use.