▁with ▁a ▁new ▁ag ency , ▁the ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Corporation ▁Commission ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁ ▁Historical ▁arch ives ▁H undred s ▁of ▁plans ▁and ▁draw ings ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁have ▁been ▁retained ▁in ▁the ▁arch ives ▁of ▁the ▁Library ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁Many ▁are ▁available ▁for ▁view ing ▁on - line ▁through ▁the ▁Internet . ▁ ▁The ▁Library ▁of ▁Virginia ' s ▁official ▁website ▁notes : ▁" F ew ▁collections ▁in ▁other ▁arch ival ▁institutions ▁are ▁compar able . ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁research ers ▁have ▁used ▁the ▁records ▁for ▁many ▁purposes . ▁Maps , ▁plans , ▁and ▁correspond ence ▁rel ating ▁to ▁can als ▁have ▁a ided ▁in ▁the ▁rest oration ▁of ▁canal ▁lo cks ▁and ▁other ▁surv iving ▁canal ▁features . ▁Records ▁rel ating ▁to ▁turn p ikes ▁and ▁rail ro ads ▁assist ed ▁in ▁resol ving ▁right - of - way ▁questions . ▁Field ▁survey ▁notes ▁help ▁identify ▁changes ▁in ▁top ography ▁and ▁aid ▁in ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁sites . ▁Sur pr ising ▁as ▁it ▁may ▁seem , ▁sketch es ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁of ▁county ▁boundaries ▁are ▁still ▁consult ed ▁today ." ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁https :// www . l va . vir gin ia . gov / public / gu ides / bp w _ intro . pdf ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : History ▁of ▁Virginia ▁Category : Transport ation ▁in ▁Virginia ▁Category : Def