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Virginia in Maps: A
New Atlas by the Library of Virginia Marianne M. McKee Several years ago, I came across a quotation by John Smith – the John Smith of the 1612 map of Virginia -- and it was one of those “Aha” moments. “For as Geography without History seemeth a carkasse without motion, so History without Geography wandreth as a Vagrant without a certaine habitation.” History and geography complement one another. As do place names and maps. I’m here to talk to you about the new atlas published in July 2000 by the Library of Virginia – Virginia in Maps: Four Centuries of Growth and Development. This large and lovely atlas provides that necessary base for Virginia’s long and rich history as well as the geographic base for her place names – those often descriptive identification points scattered over the maps. Our collection grew over the years from maps produced in the conduct of business for the colony or commonwealth, often attached to other documents and reports, to a fairly well organized collection of primarily historical maps. The collection, now about 50,000 items, still surprises me, and bottom line, it is a very fine collection that we hold in trust for the people of the state of Virginia. It is something we can all be proud of, and the fact that about half the maps in the atlas are from the Library of Virginia collection supports this statement. I have worked with the maps at the library since 1987, and I always thought it would be nice – very nice – to have a book about Virginia maps. There was a meeting at the library on March 27, 1966, at which time the proposal of a large format book of the important maps of Virginia was deemed a real possibility. Richard W. Stephenson, retired Library of Congress Specialist in American Cartographic History (and my former teacher at Catholic University), and myself, the map specialist at the library, were to co-edit the volume. Almost half of the maps in the atlas are from the Library of Virginia’s Map Collection, about half from the Library of Congress, and a few others from repositories throughout the United States and Europe. We included all the important maps of Virginia, no matter where they were located. It is important to realize that nothing had been done on this scale in any state. There are atlases of a section of a state, or of maps from one collection, but nothing as comprehensive as the atlas we planned. And we are all pleased to see it now serving, as one reviewer commented, as the “mother atlas,” perhaps the standard that other states will follow. The writers were selected, images chosen, organization decided upon, and the project began. The Library’s Publication Division worked closely with us obtaining images, permissions, copyediting, and reading the essays with us for this four-year period. The Library’s Photoservices Section also photographed our maps. The book’s designer, from the state’s Office of Graphic Communications, did a lovely job as did Cadmus Press in Richmond, the company that printed the book. Not only was it a group effort at the Library, the map community was brought in to support the book’s publication by matching a challenge grant obtained by our Foundation. People that collect, study, and just enjoy maps are excited by such projects, and they wholeheartedly supported this effort. And they are listed by name in the atlas. Now maps are so interesting and such a visual treat, it would just be natural if we had a really grand exhibit of some of our finest maps, many quite large and rarely viewed – and then, of course, a symposium would evolve. Both events happened. We had moved into our new building in January 1997 – a much larger and cleaner space than the previous one – and it lent itself to such functions. So the project of the atlas, exhibit, and symposium became the Virginia in Maps Project. The symposium and exhibit opening were attended by over 200 people throughout the US and a few from England in April 1999. The atlas was published in July 2000. I really want to emphasize that is was a tremendous undertaking by the Library, and they had a real commitment to the success of the project. The goals of the book were many and varied – among them to be comprehensive to stimulate research to create an interest in maps to fill a void in Virginia’s cartographic literature to promote access to Virginia maps and to preserve the maps by addressing the constant battle between access and preservation Following an introduction, which includes information about Virginia’s maps and mapping and the Library of Virginia’s Map Collection, five chapters take us across the four centuries. Each writer explored some aspects of Virginia's cartographic history during their specified time period. Interesting illustrations are scattered throughout the text. Each chapter has the author's text with endnotes, followed by maps relating to that chapter with a substantive caption for each map. One thing we tried to do was include maps from all over the state. I am going to go through the slides fairly quickly – without identifying most of them -- but I want to give you the flavor of the atlas. Chapter I, by John Hebert, now chief of the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress, examines the early exploration of Virginia, emphasizing the Spanish and Dutch influence in the area and the importance of the first “mother” map – John Smith’s map of 1612. This map is a primary map compiled from geographic information in reports and explorations and upon which other maps are based until the next generation of reports and explorations. The chapter ends with the move into the “west” by John Lederer, and the journey inscribed on paper by Lamhatty, an American Indian. Chapter II, by Donald Cresswell, co-owner of the Philadelphia Print Shop and author of many articles relating to maps, attends to the 18th century, a rich period of mapmaking, including land surveying and the Revolutionary War. George Washington was one of these early surveyors. Towns developed with the help of plans, boundaries were laid between states, and claims settled between countries. The wonderful Fry-Jefferson map – another “mother map” was constructed as well as the lovely but less popular map of Virginia by John Henry – the first map to outline the counties. We started moving west – again -- and since wars require great detail in locations, mapping was enhanced by the Revolutionary War. I am particularly fond of Chapter III, by Ronald Grim, specialist in American Cartographic History at the Library of Congress. This chapter deals with the development of Virginia’s internal improvements – canals, turnpikes, railroads – structures that needed a ground – a map -- and thus expansion within the state. The chapter highlights our Board of Public Works maps, about 500 titles -- 900 sheets -- of manuscript maps of these projects. It also includes the history of the Bishop Madison map of the state and the development of Virginia’s first official state map – the 1827 Boye map (two more “mother maps”). The coast survey was established to rectify previous errors and safeguard ship travel. And this was the period of the appearance of several county land ownership maps and the growth of cities. Chapter IV, by co-editor Dick Stephenson, is devoted to the Civil War, a war that guided Virginia’s maps both in information and technology. The accuracy -- or inaccuracy -- of a map could determine the outcome of a battle. The Union troops had better maps and existing technology, leaving the Confederate army to struggle with inadequate printing facilities and surveying equipment. Yet individuals in the Confederate south such as Jed. Hotchkiss, mapmaker to Stonewall Jackson, produced some of the most accurate maps of the war, and the intricate and information packed maps produced under the direction of A. H. Campbell – the Gilmer maps, were also produced. The possession of maps was critical in unknown territories, and this is reflected in the following quotation by William W. Blackford, a Confederate cavalry officer: at Mercersburg I found that a citizen of the place had a county map and of course called at the house for it, as these maps had every road laid down and would be of the greatest srvice to us. Only the females of the family appeared, who flatly refused to let me have the map, or to acknowledge that they had one; so I was obliged to dismount and push by the infuriated ladies, rather rough speciments, however, into the sitting room where I found the map hanging on the wall. Angry women do not show to advantage, and the language and looks of these were fearful, as I coolly cut the mapout of its rollers and put it in my haversack. (William W. Blackford, War Years With Jeb Stuart, New York, 1945) Maps were also produced by private firms and newspapers for sale to the public, a public that was extremely interested in the battles and location of family members. Birds eye views present a city or town as if seen from an elevated oblique angle, with existing buildings and depict the energy of daily commerce. Chapter V, Modern Mapping, is by Dick Stepehenson and Gary North, the latter retired from USGS after serving as Chief of the Publications Division and Assistant Division Chief of the National Mapping Program, and it takes us from the aftermath of the Civil War to the present age of satellite imagery. During this time, maps were developed to help the economic development of war-torn Virginia. This was the age of Rand McNally and county land ownership atlases. Virginia’s poverty after the war prevented most counties from subscribing to these wonderful atlases, although we do have several for Virginia. Fire insurance maps, from the Mutual Assurance Company to the Sanborn Map Company detailed structures and footprints at a glance. Federal mapping began with the establishment of the U.S. Geological Survey and the topographical survey of the United States. As the country grew, thematic mapping became an important component in development of the state, including highway maps, geology and soil maps, and environmental maps. Appendices for the book include notes on contributors, a list of maps, a selected bibliography, an alphabetical short-title list of maps, and an index.. I have some handouts available that I hope will give you an idea of the type of map and place name resources that we have. And finally, we hope that you will feel free to contact us at the Library of Virginia if we can help you in any way. Thank you. Marianne M. McKee |
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