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The other day I found another feature of Google Maps.  You can Use Google Maps to find Latitude and Longitude (Lat / Long) of a point, and its pretty easy.  This is a great feature that can be used to add Lat / Long information to your gedcom file.  The software that I use (PGV) has a Google Maps module built into it, so this feature is not as important to me, but other may find it interesting.

The Baskin and Forster Atlas was packed with interesting items for me.  One of the maps that I found surprised me.  It was a detailed map for the city of Hope, Bartholomew County, Indiana in 1870.  I have several members of my line that lived in the town at the time, so I was curious about the map.  Upon closer inspection it turns out that the map has some pretty significant information for me.

The surnames that are linked to the City of Hope are maternal lines, and center on the Spach/Spaugh and Arbuckle surnames.  The map in particular is significant to the Spach/Spaugh name. 

As I mentioned in my last post I purchased a digital copy of the 1876 Baskin and Forster Indiana State Atlas.  The atlas covers Indiana, and has maps of the counties and Cities that were in the state at the time.  In addition to the maps that are specific to the state, there are some maps that are of general interest.  These general interest maps include a world map, a railroad map etc.

I have always found maps interesting, and since I started working on my genealogy, they have become an important tool.  One of the maps that I have come across in my research is the 1876 Indiana State atlas.  It is a great atlas, but has become hard to find, and if you can find it, it is an expensive book to purchase.  The book was about 290 pages long, and it is bound in half leather black cloth covered boards.  The words "Illustrated Historical Atlas Of The State Of In