Welcome

Welcome to the website of the California Map Society. We invite you to take a tour, bookmark our site and come back for more. You'll find new and unusual sights with every visit.

Here you’ll encounter stories behind historic maps, ways that modern topographic maps are made, techniques for making maps and even making a geographic information system (GIS)... yourself, how to start your own map collection and much more. We at CMS especially enjoy maps of California and by Californians– which covers a lot of territory—but you’ll find much more than California inside.

We are passionate about all phases of cartography in its broadest sense. We are fascinated by the potential of remote sensing, GIS, and the tools for today’s digital mapmaking. Yet we love the art and history embodied in antique maps. Understanding man’s continuing change in perception of his environment and world is part of the fun of viewing old maps. And we never fail to delight in the curious forms that maps have taken over the centuries.

When you’re ready to be part of a great group of map-loving people of varied backgrounds, please come to one of our meetings as our guest. Just email one of our officers and let us know you’re interested. See you soon!