The words "geography" and "map" are commonly associated, largely because "map visualization is used to analyze and display the geographically related data and present it in the form of different map types." Readers interested in dabbling in data visualization and map making will enjoy this article, "10 Map Types in Visualization: Make Your Data Eye-catching," which covers some basic principles for...

In 1948, Melville J. Herskovits established the African Studies program at Northwestern University. It was the first of its kind at a major research university in the United States, and since its creation, it has also been actively involved with collecting historic maps of Africa. This particular online collection draws on this legacy of preservation and acquisition, and all told, it contains 113...

Map collector and cartographer David Rumsey has done a fine public service by placing thousands of his own maps online over the past decade. In the past few years, he and his colleagues have introduced new additions to the site via their friendly and interesting blog. This particular addition features some two dozen remarkable maps created by children during the 19th century. Many of these old...

Sure, you might know that Longfellow was a member of the literati who called Maine home, but did you know that Robert McCloskey was one as well? In case you might have forgotten, McCloskey was the author and illustrator of those children's classics "Make Way for Ducklings" and "Blueberries for Sal". It's easy to learn about dozens of Maine authors via this delightful website created as part of a...

From 1938 to 1947, the United States Forest Service took thousands of aerial photographs of the state of Colorado. The hope was that these images would be used by agronomists, land use planners, farmers, and other groups with a vested interest in these lands. Today, 1,700 of these images are part of the University of Colorado's Digital Collections. Visitors can search for available images by using...

Imagine flying high above the Rocky Mountains in late 1939, looking downwards towards the peaks below. Now picture yourself staring down at the city of Denver around the same time, peering onto the tops of residential buildings, factories, and feedlots. Until time travel is feasible, this probably isn’t possible for most of us. Of course, for those with a penchant for the past, aerial photographs...

Spatial data analysis is an important tool for geographers, planners, sociologists, and others, and this well-designed site by the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University will be a real boon to anyone with an interest in Africa. As the introduction to the project notes, this site helps interested parties "accumulate both contemporary and historical data supplied by researchers and...

Most people are familiar with the famous 1957 Little Rock Central High School desegregation crisis, but some may be less familiar with what happened after the case was finished. Professor Jay Barth of Hendrix College researched the aftermath of this event, and he was particularly curious about the long-term geospatial ramifications that played out across Pulaski County in Arkansas and the rest of...

The mission of the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys is "to determine the potential of Alaskan land for production of metals, minerals, fuels, and geothermal resources." The homepage features a "Headlines" area that includes mining reports, links to press releases, and a fascinating interactive map of quaternary faults and folds that will be of great interest to geologists....

The Natchez Trace and the Arroyo Seco get a whole lot closer on this engaging website designed to showcase the scenic highways in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration sponsors the site, and it is managed by the National Scenic Byways Online project at Utah State University. The site includes an interactive map of the various byways, and visitors can also read tales from travelers...