American Geographical Society Map Department Records, 1862-1985,  (bulk bulk 1914-1978)


Summary Information
Title: American Geographical Society Map Department Records
Inclusive Dates: 1862-1985
Bulk Dates: bulk 1914-1978

Creator:
  • American Geographical Society. Map Department
Call Number: AGSL Archival Collection 1

Quantity:
  • 6 cubic ft. (14 boxes)
  • 30 oversize folders

Repository:
Archival Location:
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, American Geographical Society Library (Map)

Abstract:
Records of the Map Department of the American Geographical Society (AGS) of New York, including annual reports, correspondence, maps, and general files. The majority of the records date from 1914 to 1978, when the maps and library of the AGS were transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-agsl-agslac0001
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Biography/History

The American Geographical Society was founded in 1851 by a group of professional geographers to promote the use and collection of geographical information. The Map Department provided geographical research and cartography services to many different institutions, such as the United States government, the National Science Foundation, and numerous universities and corporations. It took part in landmark projects such as mapping the polar regions and helped lead the way for the use of aerial photography. The department also provided map services, charts, and atlases not only to explorers and academia, but to the general public as well.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of the records of the American Geographical Society Map Department, including annual reports, general files, correspondence, maps, and operational records such as telephone logs and guest registers. There are also materials from the Office of Population Research and other census data.

Arrangement of the Materials

The records are arranged into the following series:

  1. Annual Reports, 1914-1975
  2. General Files, 1862-1985
  3. Maps, circa 1918-1969
  4. Office of Population Research, 1912-1950

Within each series, the files are organized alphabetically by personal name or by subject, then chronologically.

Preferred Citation

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

Related Material in the UWM Libraries
Administrative/Restriction Information
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.


Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).


Acquisition Information

The American Geographical Society (AGS) donated these records to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries in 1978 as part of its entire map and library collections.


Processing Information

Bob Jaeger processed the collection in January 2010 (Michael Doylen supervised). In the summer of 2014, Bob Jaeger added additional files and renumbered the existing files accordingly.


Contents List
Series: 1. Annual Reports, 1914-1975
Box   1
Folder   1-61
1914-1975
Series: 2. General Files, 1862-1985
Box   11
Accessions to the Map Collection [vol. 29], 1905-1909
Physical Description: 1 volume 
Box   1
Folder   62
Advisory Committee, donations, 1921-1968
AGS Collection
Box   1
Folder   63
Lee Ash Report, 1975-1976
Box   1
Folder   64
misleading statements, 1974
Box   1
Folder   65
operational cost, 1975-1976
Box   1
Folder   66
partial inventory, undated
Box   1
Folder   67
AGS Committee, Operation & Popularization, 1974, undated
Box   1
Folder   68
Antarctic Exchange Material From United States Geological Survey, 1963-1972
Box   1
Folder   69
Appreciation Letters, 1955-1977
Box   1
Folder   70
Archives Disposal, 1974
Box   1
Folder   71
Assessment of Rare Holdings, 1973-1974, undated
Box   1
Folder   72
Atlas Care, 1973, undated
Atlas of the Americas
Box   1
Folder   73
invitations to the conference and replies to questionnaires, 1941-1942
Box   1
Folder   74
Latin America, correspondence, 1941-1942
Box   1
Folder   75
Latin America, duplicates of statements, 1940-1942
Box   1
Folder   76
special arrangements, 1942
Atlas Microfilm Project
Box   1
Folder   77
descriptions, 1971-1974
Box   1
Folder   78
Micro Industrial Corp., 1970-1974
Box   1
Folder   79
orders, 1973-1975
Box   1
Folder   80
Bibliography of Regions East and West of Sierra de Perijá, undated
Box   1
Folder   81
Bicentennial Commission, New York State, 1973-1975
Box   1
Folder   82
Bicentennial Corporation, New York City, 1973-1976
Box   1
Folder   83
Bicentennial Correspondence, 1973-1975
Box   1
Folder   84
Bicentennial National Endowment for the Humanities, 1974-1975
Box   1
Folder   85
Bicentennial Project, 1974-1975
Box   1
Folder   86
Bicentennial Publications, 1973-1976
Box   1
Folder   87
Bowman, Isaiah, 1907-1933
Box   1
Folder   88
Briesemeister, William, 1955-1960
Box   1
Folder   89
Brown, Ralph, 1937-1947
Box   1
Folder   90
Cartographic Activities, 1974-1975, undated
Box   1
Folder   91
Cataloging, questions, 1964-1975
Box   1
Folder   92
"Cataloguing and Finding Rules" by Roman Drazniowsky, 1964
Box   1
Folder   93
Census Bureau, Association of American Geographers, staff meetings, 1931-1938
Box   2
Folder   1
Census Materials, correspondence, 1921-1922
Box   2
Folder   2
Census Materials, statistics, 1922-1925, undated
City Data for the U.S. Department of State
Box   9
Folder   1
cities of over 50,000, north and south, 1942
Box   9
Folder   2
selected towns, United States, 1942
Box   9
Folder   3
towns of 5,000 to 50,000, north and south, 1942
Box   10
Folder   1-3
sheets 1-3, 1942
Box   2
Folder   3
Current Geographic Publications, advertising, 1976-1978
Box   2
Folder   4
Current Geographic Publications, correspondence, 1976-1978
Box   2
Folder   5
Davis, William Morris, 1907-1928, undated
Box   2
Folder   6
Denmark [40], 1925-1927
Box   2
Folder   7
Dictionary of American Biography, 1928
Box   2
Folder   8
Directions for Behm, deep sounding machine, Wilkins or Ellsworth, undated
Box   2
Folder   9
Directories, 1976-1977
Box   2
Folder   10
Drazniowsky, Roman, memos, 1963-1978
Box   2
Folder   11
Ekblaw, W. Elmer, 1918-1919
Box   2
Folder   12
Exxon Project, Ivory Coast and Niger, 1975
Box   2
Folder   13
Fail-Safe Budget, 1975-1976
Box   2
Folder   14
Fellows Day and Exhibits [560], 1937-1957
Box   2
Folder   15
Finances, proposals, bibliographies, 1975, undated
Box   2
Folder   16
Franklin Mint Project, 1977
Box   2
Folder   17
George Washington Maps and Atlas, committee, 1930-1931
Box   2
Folder   18
Grenfell-Forbes Expedition to Northern Labrador, report, 1931
Box   11
Guestbooks (Registers), 1915-1947
Physical Description: 3 volumes 
Box   12
Guestbooks (Registers), 1948-1978
Physical Description: 3 volumes 
Box   2
Folder   19
Harris, Chauncy D., 1945-1950
Box   2
Folder   20
Hillendale Museum, 1974-1975
Box   13
Incoming Business Phone Calls, 1970-1975
Physical Description: 1 volume 
Box   2
Folder   21
Index to Place Names, France, Germany, Italy, and Islands in the Pacific, undated
Box   2
Folder   22
Inquiry and the American Commission to Negotiate Peace, lists of maps, 1917-1919
Box   2
Folder   23
Lee Collection, Spanish documents, 1927-1931
Box   2
Folder   24
Library of Congress, 1966-1976
Box   2
Folder   25
Linguistic Atlas Project, 1975
Box   2
Folder   26
Map Classification Shelf-List, undated
Box   2
Folder   27
Map Collectors, undated
Map Department
Box   2
Folder   28
history, 1924-1975
Box   2
Folder   29
staff, 1974
Box   2
Folder   30
statistics, 1964-1977
Box   2
Folder   31
Map Librarianship, 1975
Box   2
Folder   32
Maps, Charts, and Atlases Sold, 1947-1952, undated
Box   2
Folder   33
Maps, rare, 1965-1978
Box   2
Folder   34
Mariner's Astrolabe/Quadrant, description, 1928
Box   2
Folder   35
McNee, Robert, memos, 1973-1976
Box   2
Folder   36
Medical Geography, undated
Box   2
Folder   37
Memos, directors, 1956-1972
Box   2
Folder   38
Mendenhall, W.C., U.S. Geological Survey, 1931
Box   2
Folder   39
Miller Ellipsoidal Stereographic Projection System, data, undated
Box   6-8
Miller Oblated Stereographic Projection System, 1955-1956
Physical Description: 6 volumes 
Box   2
Folder   40
Millionth Map, 1929-1945, undated
Box   2
Folder   41-42
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1963-1978
Box   2
Folder   43
Mogilnick, Eugenia, 1978
Box   2
Folder   44
Myers, Sally, 1976
Box   14
National Atlas, bibliography of climatic maps of the western hemisphere, compiled by Charles Hitchcock and Wilma Fairchild, 1944
Box   15
Folder   1
National Atlas, Correspondence, Shelf list 1957-1965
Box   5
Folder   1
Notes on Gourou-IndoChina, 1945, undated
Box   2
Folder   45
Other Geographical Societies and Meetings, 1895-1906
Box   2
Folder   46
Peri Reis Map, 1960-1962, undated
Box   2
Folder   47
Permissions, 1968-1977
Box   2
Folder   48
Personnel, former and policies, 1963-1977
Projects
Box   2
Folder   49
acquisitions, 1971-1975
Box   2
Folder   50
New Paltz, State University of New York, 1975
Box   2
Folder   51
proposals, 1947-1974, , undated
Box   2
Folder   52
Publications, correspondence, 1899-1975
Box   2
Folder   53
Publicity Campaign for AGS, 1974
Box   2
Folder   54
Questionnaires, undated
Box   2
Folder   55
Rand McNally Christmas Card, featuring the Leardo Map, 1952
Box   2
Folder   56
Redgrave Information Resources Corporation, 1972-1974
Box   2
Folder   57
Reference Letters, 1969-1978
Box   12
Regional Classification, atlas, undated
Physical Description: 1 volume 
Reports
Box   3
Folder   1
"Abstracts of Terrestrial Phenomena Observed Following the Solar Flare of 23 February 1956", University of Alaska, 1956
Box   5
Folder   2
"Appalachian Trail", Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club, undated
Box   3
Folder   2
Board of Surveys and Maps and Board on Geographic Names, 1919-1962
Box   5
Folder   3
Congresso International de Geografia, speech by Dudley L. Stamp, undated
Box   3
Folder   3
"Instructions for Flight Check of Aeronautical Charts", United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1946
Box   5
Folder   4
Millionth Map Compilation Material for Venezuela, Charles B. Hitchcock, 1951
Box   3
Folder   4
National Land-Use Planning Committee, members, undated
Box   3
Folder   5
National Parks Service, 1928-1962
Box   3
Folder   6
"Proposed Survey of the Republic of El Salvador", 1924
Box   3
Folder   7
Science Advisory Board, 1933, undated
Box   3
Folder   8
"Soil Erosion", Department of the Interior, 1934
Box   3
Folder   9
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933-1954
Box   3
Folder   10
"World Economy and International Relations" by Lewis L. Lorwin, undated
Box   13
Requests, 1957-1972
Physical Description: 2 volumes 
Box   3
Folder   11
Research Catalog and Systematic Classification, undated
Box   3
Folder   12
Selling of Map Collection, rare material, 1973
Box   3
Folder   13
Special Libraries Association, 1965-1978
Box   3
Folder   14
Spink & Gaborc, Inc., 1958
Box   3
Folder   15
Staff, correspondence, 1894-1931
Box   3
Folder   16
Staff, newsletter, 1946-1952
Box   3
Folder   17
Standard Oil, 1967-1968
Box   3
Folder   18
Steuart, William M., Bureau of the Census, 1931
Box   3
Folder   19
Swann Auction Galleries, sale of duplicate items, 1952
Box   3
Folder   20
Tax Status, 1939-1970, undated
Box   13
Telephone Inquiries, 1973-1985
Physical Description: 2 volumes 
Box   5
Folder   5
Topical Index, working copy, undated
Box   3
Folder   21
Ubique, 1971-1974
Box   4
Folder   1
United States Government, early correspondence, 1862-1896
Box   4
Folder   2
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1975-1978
Box   4
Folder   3
Welt-Seuchen Atlas, 1947-1962
Box   4
Folder   4
Volunteers, 1974-1977
Box   4
Folder   5
Washington Trip, 1944
World Bank
Box   4
Folder   6
correspondence, 1975
Box   4
Folder   7
map source library project, 1975
Box   4
Folder   8
travel expense vouchers, 1975-1977
Series: 3. Maps, circa 1918-1969
Scope and Content Note: This series contains about 30 oversize folders with numerous maps produced by the AGS Map Department. It is primarily composed of printed maps, with some containing annotations, but there a few manuscript maps too. Examples include sheets from the Millionth Map of Hispanic America, the World 1:5,000,000, and the Americas 1:5,000,000. Maps used in publications such as the Atlas of Disease and the Serial Atlas of the Marine Environment are present as well. Some of the maps are in various stages of completion, from blank projections to proofs. A few of the maps may have been produced for the Inquiry and used at the Paris Peace Conference after World War I. For more information or to view the maps, please see a staff member.
Series: 4. Office of Population Research, 1912-1950
Box   5
Folder   6
Correspondence, 1942-1943
Box   5
Folder   7-12
Countries, A-V, 1912-1950