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Posted by: Amelia Raines
Recently I came across an interesting map of Florida in our collections. Dated 1823, the map was made only four years after the territory of Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain, and 22 years before it became a state in its own right. The map, authored by surveyor Charles Vignoles and engraved …
Posted in: 18th century cartography, 19th century cartography, 21st century cartography, American History, National Parks
Posted by: Tim St. Onge
For many Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer, and with the holiday weekend behind us, millions will be heading to the beaches, mountains, and everywhere in between for seasonal getaways over the next few months. Some of these vacationers will be among the roughly 5 million annual visitors to the natural wonder …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, American History, National Parks
Posted by: Meagan Snow
John Bachmann, a Swiss born lithographer, moved to the United States shortly after 1848, and went on to produce a series of bird’s eye maps that depict American landscapes in ways that were groundbreaking around the mid-nineteenth century. His work blurred the line between cartography and fine art, and his landscape prints are held by …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, American History
Posted by: Sonia Kahn
On a recent trip to New York City, I frequently found myself in the underbelly of the city, submerged below the hustle and bustle as I was transported up and down Manhattan. I couldn’t help but notice while I was visiting how the now antique mosaics depicting station names give the subway system character. It’s …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, 20th century cartography, City Histories
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Early maps of Iceland are compelling, they are often embellished with sea monsters and pictorials. Modern maps of the country are equally interesting because of the unique shape and terrain of the island. Iceland, with its glaciers and volcanoes, is accurately nicknamed the “Land of Fire and Ice.” The maps of Iceland featured in this …
Posted in: 17th century cartography, 19th century cartography, European History, Exploration
Posted by: Carissa Pastuch
During the month of April, the Library of Congress celebrated the bicentennial of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903), farmer, journalist, publisher, conservationist, and the first American landscape architect, who designed the grounds surrounding the U.S. Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, and many other notable public and private green spaces. To celebrate, the Great Hall …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, American History, City Histories
Posted by: Julie Stoner
The panoramic map was a popular cartographic form used to depict U.S. and Canadian cities and towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known also as bird’s-eye views, perspective maps, or aero views, panoramic maps are nonphotographic representations of cities portrayed as if viewed from above at an oblique angle. Typically printed on …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, City Histories
Posted by: Amelia Raines
Take a look at this monsoon chart, paying special attention to the western Indian Ocean between the east coast of Africa and the west coast of India, and you might notice a pattern: The left chart depicts the prevailing winds in the Indian Ocean in February; the right, in August. In winter, a sea of …
Posted in: 17th century cartography, 19th century cartography, African History, Asian History, Exploration
Posted by: Carissa Pastuch
Gertrude Lowthian Bell (1868–1926) was a British archaeologist, explorer, and diplomat. Proficient in French, German, Hebrew, Persian, and Arabic, and an avid reader and writer, she traveled widely and was able to engage with native populations because of her ability to communicate in many languages and openness to experiencing unfamiliar traditions. She found the Middle …
Posted in: 19th century cartography, Exploration, Women's History