Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are among the most remarkable historical maps ever produced in the United States. At first glance, they may look like ordinary…
Maps are often treated as neutral instruments. They measure distances, record boundaries, locate cities, and give us a visual framework for understanding the world. Yet…
During the sixteenth century, no map in Europe was more valuable or more closely guarded, than Spain’s Padrón Real (Royal Standard Map). At a time…
Among the most visually striking forms of cartography ever produced, panoramic city maps occupy a unique space between geographic representation and artistic illustration. Often referred…
Few English cities possess a cartographic history as rich and visually compelling as York. Encircled by medieval walls, shaped by Roman foundations, Viking streets, Georgian…
Here is a curated list of period and near-period maps (1860–1865) that depict the Confederate States of America as a country or distinct political entity.…
The mid-nineteenth century was a transformative era in American cartography. It was marked by rapid territorial expansion. It also included technological innovation and the democratization…
The island of Diego Garcia is a slender coral atoll nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean. It possesses a history as turbulent and…
The Aral Sea: From Fourth-Largest Inland Sea to the World’s Newest Desert, A Cartographic History of Human-Driven Collapse and Medieval Precedent The Aral Sea has…
Why Scotland Was Tilted East: A Cartographic Mystery That Took Centuries to Fix If you’ve ever browsed old maps of Europe, you have noticed something…