[APG Public List] mapping and research

[Bonnie Kohler]

Michael, there is also the aspect of your clients actually navigating to the places you have researched for them.

Bonnie Dunphy Kohler
Florida
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michael Hait 
  To: apgpubliclist at apgen.org 
  Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 1:04 PM
  Subject: Re: [APG Public List] mapping and research


  I use historic maps in nearly every project.  But these historic maps do not have latitude/longitude on them usually.  I also use land records in nearly every project, which allows me to place the land on the maps (at least in a general sense).  My point is that discovering the general location (especially when dealing with a 200-acre farm) is an important step, but pinpointing the exact longitude/latitude seems like an extraneous step that does not add anything to the research.

  I look at it this way – location of a piece of land is important for the following reasons:
  - records jurisdiction
  - relation to topographical landmarks
  - distance to county courthouses
  - distance to nearest town
  - location of nearest church
  - identities of neighbors
  - identifying possible migration routes (through relation to bodies of water, historic trails, etc)
  - (and of course other more creative uses I am sure)

  All of these tasks, however, can be completed using historic records and historic maps, including identifying topographical landmarks, etc.  But how does taking the extra time and effort to pinpoint a precise latitude/longitude provide additional USEFUL information, not covered by the historic records/maps?


  Michael Hait
  michael.hait at hotmail.com
  http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <../attachments/20101101/225055bf/attachment.htm>