Hi All Virginia has brought up the subject of using USGS topographic maps as an aid in genealogical reseach. Certainly in the course of research of the "White Plains Cluster" I use them both in the field and at home. In the Greene/Taliaferro/Hancock Counties area (and through most if not all of Georgia), the USGS 7.5 Minute Series Topographic Maps are (as the name implies) constructed to and cover 7 and 1/2 minutes of latitude and longitude. In the latitudes of Taliaferro Co., this translates roughly to a 6x8 mile area. Each Quadrangle name is taken from a prominent feature on the map. This can be a populated place (as in the Crawfordville Quad.) or a terrain feature (like the Cowrock Quad, which is a mountain located in the North GA mountains.) Each map is joined to 8 others (in tic-tac-toe board fashion). For example, the Sparta NW Quad is joined: NW to the Union Point Quad, N to the Crawfordville Quad NE to the Sharon Quad E to the Sparta NE Quad SE to the Jewell Quad S to the Sparta Quad SW to the Shoulderbone Quad and W to the White Plains Quad. Water courses may in fact carry their "historical" names, but they can just as well carry a more current name. A couple of examples from the area around White Plains... Powells Creek is named on the Sparta NW and Sparta NE Quads and the creek name can be traced back in records all the way to 1784/5. However on the west side of White Plains lies another watershed which where it empties into the Oconee river is known as Shoulderbone Creek. This creek empties a huge area and many of it's tributaries have been renamed over the years. In fact evidence indicates that the renaming of it's tributaries started before 1797 (with 12 mi. Beaverdam Creek in Hancock Co.) But as late as 1822, the portions that emptied southern sections of Greene Co. were still being refered to as Shoulderbone, and that tributary is known as something different on todays maps. What this implies is... one has to be careful with applying today's creek names to historical locations and do your homework before doing so. Because the Quadrangle maps, have so much detail, they are invaluable when doing field projects. Many times, old field roads are noted on a Quad and aren't even on a county map. They also show "contour lines" (or elevation changes) which can help you stay found and many times, the old family plot cemeteries are located on high ground. At home and with proper study, one can also use the countours to identify watershed boundaries. Hope this Helps, Lee __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250