The National Atlas of The United States of America

Summary

This paper traces the history, achievements, and future planning of the National Atlas of the United States. Following a 1960s recommendation by the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Geological Survey assumed responsibility and published the first edition in 1970 under the editorship of Dr. Arch C. Gerlach. Approximately 15,000 copies were printed at a total cost of about three million dollars, with distribution favoring educational and public libraries; the edition is now out of print. A parallel Separate Sales Editions program offered individual high-demand sheets and later added new thematic series on energy transportation and waterways. The paper also notes the flourishing of regional and state atlases, exemplified by the Atlas of Florida (1964) and A Comparative Atlas of America’s Great Cities (1976). Plans for a second edition, coordinated by a National Atlas Planning and Advisory Board, are centered on a formal statement of purpose—to enhance understanding of America’s environmental, demographic, economic, social, political, and historical dimensions, and to serve decision-makers and educators. Key decisions include adopting a looseleaf format for flexible updating and extensive use of computer-assisted cartography to streamline compilation, maintain a digital data bank, and facilitate analytical reuse. Content revisions involve deleting outdated mapping/charting sections and detailed urban maps, while adding new themes such as climatic hazards, land use/cover at 1:2,000,000, and socio-economic maps for major metropolitan areas. New graphic standards are under development. Although no direct funding is currently allocated, these planning efforts aim to produce a dynamic, data-rich national atlas suited to contemporary analytical and educational needs.