History of Geodetic Survey – Written by Joe Dracup
The United States began geodetic surveys later than most of the world’s major countries, yet its achievements in this area are immense and unequaled elsewhere. Most of the work has been done by a single agency. That agency began as the Survey of the Coast in 1807, was identified as the Coast Survey in 1836, was renamed the Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1878 and, since about 1970, has been the National Geodetic Survey, presently a division in the National Ocean Service, NOM.
This seven-part series is a look at the geodetic work of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, which has been with us, under one name or another, for nearly 190 years, along with the scientific accomplishments, technological developments, major and other interesting events, anecdotes, and the contributions made by the people of each period.
History of Geodetic Survey Part 1
History of Geodetic Survey Part 2
History of Geodetic Survey Part 3
History of Geodetic Survey Part 4
History of Geodetic Survey Part 5
History of Geodetic Survey Part 6