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Category: European History

An image of the book "The Travels of Marco Polo.

Who drew the Map with Ship?

Posted by: Cynthia Smith

Featured below is a map known as the “Map with Ship.” The map was donated to the Library of Congress in 1943 by a retired merchant and author named Marcian F. Rossi.  Marcian Rossi was born in Italy in 1870. He moved to the United States during the 1880s. The Rossi family inherited a collection …

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 …