Finding/Buying Old Topo Maps

[pondhopper]

Does anyone know where to find/buy old topo series?

I know about: http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm , but I'm looking for a specific topo.

I have an extensive collection, thanks to dad's work at IPC's offices in Glens Falls, but I lost one many years ago, that shows the portion of the "Moynehan Road", between "Dismal Pond" and "Beaver River Station" in the "Five Ponds Wilderness". It was a pre- 1911 series, I believe...and the only one showing it. Any help, will be appreciated and thanks, in advance.

[Dick]

I really don't know if this is any help at all, but I had this saved in one of my files and thought I'd pass it along:

http://www.nb.net/~resteele/newsites/ny_historical_topos.htm

Dick

[fisher39]

I don't know of any places, Pondhopper, but that is a fantastic link and thanks for posting it! They did quite a good job scanning those maps in.

[pondhopper]

Dick- thanks, for the great link, I'm sure it will benifit someone.
You're welcome, fisher39.

But- "Dummy Me" failed to mention it's a "Big Moose" quad.....I *think*, it's a series after the 1903 one, included in both links and before 1915. It looks like it's going to be a hassle....IIRC- what's now known as "Willys Lake" was named "Elbow Lake" on the map I'm looking for.

[Daniel Eagan]

With Pipe and Book in Lake Placid has a large selection of old topos. I got the 1953 Marcy quad and a cut-down 1903 one for $20.

They're not on the web and the selection changes a lot.

[JoeCedar]

Raquette Lake

I have a Raquette Lake quad, 1903, reprinted 1936, which is just east of the Big Moose quad you mentioned. Send me a PM if you are interested.

[pondhopper]

DE- thanks, I may have to check that out.
JC- Thanks for the kind offer, but I have several of those and many other quads.....just NOT the particular one I want- showing the southern portion of the "Moynehan Rd."

[Creekwader]

PH:
I've got some old Big Moose quads at home and will check. My neighbor across the street is an old timer who used to fish up there and he's got a bunch of old maps too, I'll check with him.
-CW

[pondhopper]

CW- That's cool and although, it's unlikely you'll find such a rarity......it's mighty nice of you to try. PS- It won't say "Moynehan Rd.", it'll just be a dotted line running from "Dismal P." to a landing on the "Beaver River"- near "Trout P.'s Outlet".

Footnote (since, I'm sure people can relate): Dad left one of these at camp that got stole. And the next to the last day that he was to retire from IPC, the people @ the headquarters gave him a huge tube filled w/old maps, including several of this particular map. He leaned the tube in a corner of his office, near the trashcan and forgot to take it home that night. When, he came back to work for his last day, he discovered that the janitor had thrown the maps out along with the trash.

[ltrangerbob]

PH, I have a extra copy of the Big Moose 1903(reprinted in 1938) 15' Quad. Is this the one you are looking for? On this quad Willys Lake is called Horseshoe Pond. I don't see any trails(roads) fron Dismal Pond. It does show a trail from Horseshoe to Hawk and then to Salmon Lake. It also shows a trail from Horseshoe Pond to the pond to the east. Let me know.

[pondhopper]

ltrangerbob- Thanks, but nope. If, you look closely, you'll see a dotted line ending near Upper Beech Mt. Pond (incorrectly, called Beach Ridge Pond on new maps, thanks to Ret. Ran. T. Perkins) north of Bear Pond. That's the "Moynehan Rd." and is as far as workers for Patrick Moynehan were at the time of the survey. A later map series, shows the road continuing on past Lower Beech Mt. Pond and swinging southerly past Dismal Pond to the Beaver River.

[ltrangerbob]

Do you know the year of that next series? I think I have the 1954 series also,I have to check. The USGS really didn't update these areas often, not much really changes other than the manmade features and beaver activity. I think 1954 is the next update, I will check.

[pondhopper]

Yeah, it's got me stumped, too!

All I know is, I've seen the map with the road on it. Maybe, the original 1903 series had it and somehow, the reprinted map in 1936 doesn't ?

It won't be on the 1950's series. They were logging in the area at the tail end of the 1800's and in the first decade of 1900. Could be an earlier series; I don't know.

Thanks, for the help!

[ltrangerbob]

I almost think the 1903 edition was the fist edition made. I've seen some older ones for other areas, but in more developed areas. I will look and see if I can find the origional 1903 edition. I don't think it would be any different than the 1938 reprint( the 1938 map would say it was edited, not just reprinted.) Are you sure you didn't see that in some other location? If you read the back of the 1938 reprited map it says that the mapping process by the USGS started in 1882. I'm sure they started in the most developed areas first then worked their way to fill in the gaps.

[pondhopper]

I'm positive that I've seen a USGS map with Willys Lake listed as Elbow Lake, but that one may not be the one I've seen with the road on it. I'm not sure, but the Elbow Lake one may be up at camp.

It's possible, that T. Perkins may have the map, since he told dad that he was able to backtrace the road from Stillwater to Dismal P., back in the late 60's- early 70's. I'll have one of my friends ask him.