The first USGS topographic maps in 1884 started as hand-engraved copper plates, and in the early 1900s, relief was hand-shaded. By the 1960s, maps were scribed on mylar sheets, labels were applied letter by letter, and technicians field-verified map features. Since 2009, maps are made using GIS software with remotely sensed data, produced on a predefined grid, and updated every three years. The 2022 release of topoBuilder allows users to create custom topographic maps centered anywhere in the U.S. and territories with the latest available data from The National Map.
Elaine started at USGS as an applied researcher in multi-scale cartography. She is now the National Map Liaison to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.
Wednesday May 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT 401-402
