The genealogist trying to locate families, the surveyor or attorney researching old deeds, or the historian seeking data on land settlement will find Pennsylvania Land Records an indispensable aid. The land records of Pennsylvania are among the most complete in the nation, beginning in the 1680s. Pennsylvania Land Records not only catalogs, cross-references, and tells how to use the countless documents in the archive, but also takes readers through a concise history of settlement in the state. The guide explains how to use the many types of records, such as rent-rolls, ledgers of the receiver general's office, mortgage certificates, proof of settlement statements, and reports of the sale of town lots. In addition, the volume includes: cross-references to microfilm copies; maps of settlement; illustrations of typical documents; a glossary of technical terms; and numerous bibliographies on related topics.

The interdisciplinary uses of traditional cartographic resources and modern GIS tools allow for the analysis and discovery of information across a wide spectrum of fields. A Research Guide to Cartographic Resources navigates the numerous American and Canadian cartographic resources available in print and online, offering researchers, academics and students with information on how to locate and access the large variety of resources, new and old. Dozens of different cartographic materials are highlighted and summarized, along with lists of map libraries and geospatial centers, and related professional associations. A Research Guide to Cartographic Resources consists of 18 chapters, two appendices, and a detailed index that includes place names, and libraries, structured in a manner consistent with most reference guides, including cartographic categories such as atlases, dictionaries, gazetteers, handbooks, maps, plans, GIS data and other related material. Almost all of the resources listed in this guide are categorized by geography down to the county level, making efficient work of the type of material required to meet the information needs of those interested in researching place-specific cartographic-related resources. Additionally, this guide will help those interested in not only developing a comprehensive collection in these subject areas, but get an understanding of what materials are being collected and housed in specific map libraries, geospatial centers and their related websites. Of particular value are the sections that offer directories of cartographic and GIS libraries, as well as comprehensive lists of geospatial datasets down to the county level. This volume combines the traditional and historical collections of cartography with the modern applications of GIS-based maps and geospatial datasets.

This volume of photographs and text springs from the desire to identify and salvage the authentic character of our past as seen in our built environment. Centre County provides a unique mix of historic buildings and villages in a rural landscape setting that is a rich record of development in the area since the earliest days of settlement. Local buildings preserve traces of the changing economic activities--iron manufacturing and agriculture, travel and trade, and the growth of the Penn State University--and stories related to these buildings and the men who built them create a fascinating picture of life in the county for more than 150 years. Each area of the county contains examples of buildings that make up a complete picture of the evolution of local building types. Structures described in the detailed text and striking photographs include log houses and round barns, the Georgian and Victorian mansions of the iron masters and landowners, sturdy inns and mills, hotels, churches, farms, and buildings of Beaux-Arts classicism on the University campus. The book also provides a glossary of descriptive terms for historic buildings, defines styles and local building types, and gives information on the activities and agencies that support historic preservation.