The Connecticut Historical Society Library houses a collection of 1,300 maps, dating from 1726 through 2000. The collection contains manuscript maps, printed maps and atlases. In addition there are collections of globes and bird’s-eye-views in other CHS departments. In the collection are many rare maps produced by early cartographers, engravers, and publishers in Hartford and other areas of New England and the Northeast. About 20% of the maps are cataloged and accessible through the Library’s card catalog. For access to others, staff assistance is required.

The bulk of the map collection falls into the following broad categories:

The largest group of maps is those of Connecticut, including maps of the whole state, towns, counties, geographical features such as canals, and industrial features such as railroads. Among the rarest and most important items in this collection are original surveyors’ maps of Connecticut towns.

A map of Connecticut by Polly Ludington, ca. 1810.

This part of the collection includes maps of the whole New England area, as well as maps of the other five New England states. There are also maps of Northeastern states outside of New England, including many of New York and Pennsylvania.

This area consisted of lands owned by Connecticut in what is now the state of Ohio. Connecticut was the last state to hold onto ownership of its western land. Most of the colonies conceded their western land holdings to the new Federal government after the adoption of the Constitution.

Map of the Fire Land (Western Reserve) from actual survey by Almon Ruggles. Engraved by Amos Dolittle, 1808.

CHS holds some significant maps of the United States by early American cartographers.

Ornamental map of the United States and Mexico including Oregon, Texas, and the Californias. Published by Ensign & Thayer, New York, NY, 1848.

There are significant 18th-century charts of the New England coast.

Mouth of the Connecticut River, Survey of the Coast of the United States. Engraved by S. Siebert, O. Lawson, and W. Smith, 1853.

The CHS Graphics collection holds an impressive collection of 85 of these lithographic representations of Connecticut towns.

Bird’s-Eye view of Bethel, CT. Lithograph by O.H. Bailey & Co., 1879.
 

The CHS Museum owns two rare globes by James Wilson, America’s first globe maker.

Terrestrial Globe by James Wilson, 1811.