The Yale University Collection of Maps of United States Heritage
Yale University possesses one of the largest and finest collections of maps of United States heritage. The set includes more than 200,000 map sheets, including 11,000 rare prints, 3,000 atlases, and 900 reference books, and is also the recipient of many federal agencies’ maps and related documents.
Most of the rare maps within the collection document North America and American history, including maps originally owned by some of America’s foremost historical figures, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Many more unique American history-related maps, including historical boundaries and maps of early American cities, can be found in this collection.
The Yale Map Collection is a federal depository, meaning it receives documents from federal agencies such as the United States Geological Survey. The USGS sends maps of United States topography, the most recognizable ones being the 7.5-minute, 1:24,000 scale maps, but also many other maps created at various scales, among them the 15-minute, 1:62,500, the scale used to map the United States prior to the 1950’s. There is also a recent set of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration nautical charts andmaps of United States waterways and coastlines. These maps are numerous, but well-organized and updated frequently.
In addition to the rare maps highlighting American history, there is a noteworthy collection of works by well-known cartographers, such as Joan Blaeu and Vincenzo Coronelli, although there is a deficiency in historic cartography as a whole.
The Yale University Collection is chronologically and geographically comprehensive, and is an ideal place for the serious map seeker to explore and research maps of United States.
