Scanning Maps & Documents – Preserving History with Technology

Delicately stored in the park’s museum archives rest 7,000 historic maps, drawings, and blueprints documenting more than a century of NPS efforts in both Zion National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument. The detailed records are very useful to park staff and researchers in developing future projects and plans.

Their volume and complexity require a digital solution, but the blueprints and grids are far too large for traditional scanners. A donation to this project funds the procurement of a large format scanner and the seasonal workforce needed to preserve the primary source documents forever. They will be used directly by park planners already focused on the next century of infrastructure design and resource allocation.

Once digitized, the park will make the archives available to be shared with the public through interpretive displays and online catalogs. The scanning process means archivists no longer have to handle older fragile prints or worry about deteriorating originals. Your gift today ensures that the plans of the past century continue to inform park decisions into the next.