Hi,

You may want to search the US Geographic Names database at 
http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/.  This database should have all names 
that ever appeared on a USGS topographic map, along with the lat/long 
(easy to use in a GIS, let me kow if you want some assistance with 
this).  I searched on Pittsylvania County and schools, and came up with 
over 100 items.   While there may not be names on the map sheet you are 
looking at, some may have been labeled on other editions or later maps.  
I'm not familiar with school symbols in particular, but the cartographic 
conventions changed through time, and inclusion or exclusion of labels 
may have not been strictly based on the type of school.  As you suggest, 
it may have been that they didn't know the name, etc.

You may also be interested to know that the USGS is in the process of 
scanning all of their historic map sheets (see "Scanning and 
Georeferencing Historical USGS Quadrangles" at 
http://nationalmap.gov/factsheets.html).  They are also georeferencing 
these maps as they scan them to facilitate their use in GIS and online 
mapping systems.

James

-- 
James W. Wilson, PhD
Assistant Professor of Geographic Science
Department of Integrated Science and Technology
James Madison University
801 Carrier Dr. MSC 4302
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
540-568-2757 (p)        [log in to unmask]
540-568-8741 (f)        http://www.gs.jmu.edu





On 7/3/2011 3:14 PM, Lyle E. Browning wrote:
> In working on a rather massive project in Pittsylvania County I now need
> to spread beyond even its gargantuan limits to enclose the entire
> county. I'm attempting to find the schools that existed in the county in
> the late 19th and first half of the 20th century and where they were
> located. We're hoping to do some catchment area analysis for schools,
> stores and mills based upon the little dots on the map if we can ascend
> the GIS learning curve in short order. In turn that will be related back to our area.
>
> To that end, I'm looking at the 15' USGS Quad sheets. In using these in
> other counties, the schools seem to be nearly all named and have either
> "colored" or "Negro" annotated beside them. Neither the Draper where the
> project is located, nor the adjacent Danville quads have these helpful
> annotations. But, some schools are named and others are represented by
> the same incredibly difficult to spot symbols for schools with absolutely
> no label whatever.
>
> If anyone has experience in ferreting out these issues, I'd love to hear
> whether the un-labeled schools are the non-white schools, whether the
> cartographers simply didn't know the name and left it off or if there's
> some method to the labeling system.
>
> Also, does anyone know of a list of schools in the county over the
> years, short of delving into the original records?
>
> Thanks for the help on a very hot 3rd of July.
>
>
> Lyle Browning
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