Review by Choice Review
Almost 400 maps produced for this volume depict counties, the basic record units for censuses of population from 1790 until 1920 (the name schedules for the latter will be open in 1992). The District of Columbia, Alaska, and Hawaii are included. Modern county lines are superimposed on those for the decennial year. A legend bar and an index by state and county enable the user to identify specific counties (including defunct counties and obsolete names). The maps will be of great use to genealogists, but the text and bibliographic information make the work also attractive to other researchers. Introductory pages give detail on the history of the census and the records for each census-e.g., number of copies ordered, kinds of information sought, special remarks (for 1900, nonpopulation schedules were destroyed without being microfilmed, while for 1900, 1910, and 1920, population schedules were destroyed after being filmed). Completeness is discussed, including copying errors, missing schedules, and undercounts. The pitfalls of mapping boundaries are described. A bibliography discusses three national mapping projects, none complete and not all of them published. Similar publications (e.g., by George B. Everton, E. Kay Kirkham, and Joseph N. Kane) are noted, although several of these consist principally of text rather than maps. This reasonably priced book will be valuable to collections serving genealogists, historians, geographers, and demographers.-V.L. Close, Dartmouth College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
911.73 U.S. Census Maps [OCLC] 87-80143 The publicity release for this book calls it ``the most important finding aid for census research ever set into type.'' Because the U.S. census is arranged by county and county boundaries have changed over time, tracing one's ancestors, or any individual, through decennial census records requires an accurate determination of the boundaries and exact name of a county. This book shows in map form the names and actual boundaries of every county in every state, with separate maps for each decade from 1790 or the state's formation to 1920. If there was no change in the boundaries or names for more than a decade, some dates may be grouped; Arkansas, for example, has separate maps for each decennial year from 1810 to 1890, but the decades beginning in 1900 and 1910 are grouped onto one page (because the changes, if any, were insignificant), with a final map for 1920.Explanatory notes abound on every page. These refer to boundary changes, changes of name or spelling (Salt Lake County, Utah, was once called Great Salt Lake County), or other modifications. At the foot of every page is a statement of the availability of census records. There is also an appendix with advice to users of census material in connection with counties; a long bibliographical essay, arranged by state; and finally a valuable index listing, state by state, all counties in the U.S., including defunct counties or those with obsolete names. The latter are indicated with an asterisk, and the decade in which they did exist is given.Genealogical, public, and academic libraries will need this excellent Map Guide.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
