In a message dated 12/6/2006 6:53:59 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:

> ....  I use the older maps routinely when planning a CRM survey, when and 
> where I can find them.  But, as I said, the USGS is entirely clueless about 
> this and as far as I know there's no collection of such maps in the National 
> Archives.  Any suggestions?
> 
> Morgan Rieder, RPA
> 
> 

Morgan, I have a particular interest in historic USGS maps and collect as 
many as I can for areas that we work within because of the incredible value that 
they have.  I have copies of all of the 30' and 60' maps for Utah and 
surrounding areas that I have collected from various libraries and even have a copy of 
a 1935 index for all maps made to that time from Arizona to Montana.  An 
incredibly valuable book to obtain that can provide you with much of the 
information (at least index wise) is:

Moffat, Riley Moore, "Map Index to Topographic Quadrangles of the United 
States, 1882-1940".  Western Association of Map Libraries, Occasional Paper No. 
10.  1985.  

This is, by far, the most comprehensive index of historic topographic maps 
ever compiled (however, it does not include Alaska).  I believe that the 
publication is still available from the WAML, though they move around from university 
to university, so you will have to Google the name to figure out where they 
are right now.

I have also had off and on correspondence with a librarian at the USGS in 
Washington, D.C. who actually assisted me in locating a 30' map in Utah which I 
did not have and could not find here in the state.  It was vital in order to 
identify the exact corridor occupied by a railroad during the 1930s.    I don't 
have the specific name or number that I can find right now, but if you contact 
that library (which has the most comprehensive collection of USGS maps in the 
United States), you should be able to find, and possibly get a copy, of what 
you need.

Mike Polk
Sagebrush Consultants, L.L.C.
Ogden, Utah