Historical Planimetric Maps of Alberta from 1949-1952

74 monochrome maps from the Planimetric Series, initiated in 1949 and derived from aerial photographs taken between 1949 and 1952. The maps display the Alberta Township System, hydrographic features, provincial highways, roads, pipelines, transmission lines, and municipalities. They are provided by the Government of Alberta in PDF and TIF formats, with some geo-referenced PNG files also available.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical land development patterns based on the Alberta Township System (ATS)
• Tracking changes in infrastructure networks based on mapped roads, pipelines, and transmission lines
• Studying historical hydrography based on mapped water features
• Comparing historical municipal boundaries based on mapped municipality data

Strengths

• 74 maps provide a specific historical snapshot of Alberta
• Maps derived from aerial photographs taken during a defined period (1949-1952)
• Multiple file formats available (PDF, TIF, PNG)

Limitations

• Coverage for the province is incomplete and future additions are uncertain
• Some geo-referenced PNG files are only roughly georeferenced with a few control points
• The maps are not available as GIS-ready data, requiring manual processing

Provenance

Source

Government of Alberta

Collection Method

Derived from aerial photographs

Time Range

1949-1952

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-17 14:44:14.193687; freshness should be verified

Geography

Alberta, Canada