Historic Maps of Indiana Available from Ball State University Libraries

Energy of the Past: Historic Maps of Natural Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries

A new collection of maps has been added to the Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository. Historic geological maps of Indiana dating back to the late 19th century are now available in digital format for researchers interested in the history and location of the production of fuel in Indiana. These maps will be a valuable resource for studying the beginning of the gas boom in Indiana, which led to the establishment and growth of many cities including Muncie, Gas City, and Gaston.

The Indiana Natural Resources Maps digital collection depict natural gas, coal, and petroleum deposits as well as the locations of stone quarries, pipelines, and gas wells from the 1880’s to the early 1900’s. Several regional maps of western counties of Indiana mark the location of coal mining operations.

The natural gas geological maps mark the beginning of active drilling and production of natural gas in the Trenton Gas Field in northeast Indiana and were produced by the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources. These maps were produced to accompany the Annual Report of the State Supervisor of Natural Gas, which are available in the General Collection of University Libraries.

The Digital Media Repository is located at http://libx.bsu.edu/.

The original maps are available in the GIS Research & Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

For more information about the maps, contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Maps in the News: Prague and Kyrgyzstan

Maps in the News: Prague and Kyrgyzstan

The GIS Research & Map Collection (GRMC) includes a number of maps and atlases of hundreds of cities and countries that are available for research and learning. The GRMC houses over 145,000 maps that are available for circulation.

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, hosted the signing of a nuclear disarmament treaty between Russia and the United States this morning. The GRMC has numerous street and tourist maps of Prague. The Prague Pictorial Map and City Guide includes images of the architecture of the city, including the Charles Bridge, the St. Wenceslas Statue, and the Loreto. The Lonely Planet map of Prague (shown) includes a detailed map of the city and a map of the greater metropolitan area. Praha Plan Mesta and Praha Plan for Orientation are atlases of the city available from the Atlas Collection.

The GRMC also includes many maps of another location in the news today—Kyrgyzstan. Maps include current maps of the country produced by the Central Intelligence Agency. Other maps feature Kyrgyzstan with its neighbors Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. A map of Central Asia includes an inset map of the capital city Bishkek. The Atlas of Russia and the Independent Republics also features maps and information about Kyrgyzstan (shown above).

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer.

IGIC Dinner Meeting Features Ball State University GIS

Indiana Regional Dinner Meeting Features Ball State University GIS Initiatives

The Indiana Geographic Information Council is hosting the Spring Regional Geo-Dinner Meeting on Tuesday, April 13 from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie. The dinner meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about Indiana GIS.

The theme of the meeting is “It’s a Jungle Out There” and allows an opportunity to network and discuss the latest GIS events in a casual atmosphere. The evening will feature a cash bar for the first hour followed by dinner and a presentation by Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist at Ball State University Libraries, and Jim Sparks, State Geographic Information Officer.

Jim Sparks will talk about the ongoing statewide County Data Sharing Initiative and the new statewide Broadband Mapping efforts his office is helping to develop for Indiana for the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Angela Gibson and professors from Ball State University will discuss the university’s geospatial initiatives.

Cost of the dinner meeting is $30. Register with the Indiana Geographic Information Council at http://www.igic.org/products/?view=sub_product&sid=352&cid=25&cid2=25