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Category: City Histories

A street map of Paris dated 1870

Exploring Haussmannian Paris

Posted by: Cynthia Smith

During the 19th century Paris underwent a major urban renewal. I am focusing on some of the maps that were published before, during, and after the renovation of Paris. Before the renovation, the residents of central Paris suffered from cholera epidemics, overcrowding and a high infant mortality rate. The Bievre River, which flowed into the …

Pictorial map of entertainment, restaurant, and speakeasy facilities in the Harlem district, Manhattan, New York City during the Harlem Renaissance..

Mapping “Points of Interest underneath the Harlem Moon”

Posted by: Carissa Pastuch

Elmer Simms Campbell’s pictorial night-club map showing Harlem’s hotspots for entertainment, dining, and drinking appeared as a centerfold in the January 18, 1933, edition of the short-lived weekly Manhattan Magazine. His work was an important contribution to Harlem’s cultural renaissance—it serves as a time capsule—the itinerary and guide of a typical Friday night at the …

Screenshot of View from Above web map with clusters of maps shown on basemap of US.

New Interactive Map Showcases the Panoramic Maps Collection

Posted by: Tim St. Onge

The Panoramic Maps Collection, one of our most popular collections, features more than a thousand beautifully illustrated “bird’s-eye-view” maps of towns and cities across the United States, Canada, and even some internationally. To celebrate this collection, we are excited to launch View from Above: Exploring the Panoramic Map Collection, an interactive map that makes browsing …

The earliest extant plan of Washington DC, known as "The L'Enfant Plan" with annotations of editorial changes by Thomas Jefferson.

Francophone Folly in the Capital City

Posted by: Carissa Pastuch

Last Monday Americans gathered again after a two-year hiatus to celebrate America’s independence from Great Britain. Flags and fireworks flew over our nation’s capital to mark the anniversary of when the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776), which announced the colonies’ separation from Great Britain, and precipitated the American …

Detail of a map of New York City that shows the subway lines in different colors.

What Goes Up Must Come Down: A brief history of New York City’s elevated rail and subway lines

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 …

Initial design plan for landscape architecture of Chicago South Park Chicago.

Chicago’s South Park by Fredrick Law Olmsted

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 …