Monday, April 16, 2012

If you like maps

West Indian Atlas title plate (click any image to enlarge)
West Indian Atlas - Windward Passage
West Indian Atlas - Rhunmb Lines & Anchorages at Acores Islands
If, like me, you can spend hours pouring over maps then you need to visit the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection. As they explain in the introduction to the site:
The historical map collection has over 31,000 maps and images online. The collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century North American and South American maps and other cartographic materials. Historic maps of the World, Europe, Asia, and Africa are also represented.

Popular collection categories include antique atlas, globe, school geography, maritime chart, state, county, city, pocket, wall & case, children's, and manuscript maps. Search examples are United States map, Geology maps, California map, Afghanistan map, America map, New York City map, Chicago map, and U.S. Civil War maps. Browse  map categories: What, Where, Who, When. The collection can be used to study history, genealogy, art, explorations, local and family history.
The site has the maps categorized and also includes a lot of plates that went along with the maps. Further, as demonstrated by the two images below, the maps can be zoomed in to view in considerable detail.

This post continues just a few samples of the maps and plates available at the site. There are more samples after the jump, and of course literally thousands more at the above link. It is a great site for mapophiles, but be warned it will take up a lot of your time.

Zoological Geography - Carnivores
Detail of Zoological Geography - Carnivores


Arbuckle's Illustrated Atlas title plate
Arbuckle's Illustrated Atlas
Royal Relief maps - Europe
Alaska Boundary Tribunal
Mexico prior to the Mexican/American War
Atlas of Long Island - New York State
Atlas of Long Island - Brooklyn
Marion County Oregon
Marion County Oregon - farm & biography
Atlas Elementaire Simplifie - Africa
Johnson's World Atlas
Plate from Cabinet Atlas
Honey Lake Wagon Road
Exploration of New Mexico & Utah
Plate from Exploration of New Mexico & Utah
Chart of Cape Cod
Chart of Ah Moo Bay, Washington

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