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Collection Connections


Railroad Maps, 1828-1900

U.S. HistoryCritical ThinkingArts & Humanities

 summary of resources related to the collection

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Railroad Maps, 1828-1900, a subset of Map Collections: 1500-2004, is a collection of maps that represent an important historical record, illustrating the growth of travel and settlement as well as the development of industry and agriculture in the United States. They depict the development of cartographic style and technique, highlighting the achievement of early railroaders. Included in the collection are progress report surveys for individual lines, official government surveys, promotional maps, maps showing land grants and rights-of-way, and route guides published by commercial firms.

 special presentations
These online exhibits provide context and additional information about this collection.

History of Railroads and Maps

 historical eras
These historical era(s) are best represented in the collection, although they may not be all-encompassing.

Expansion and Reform, 1801-1861
The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1877
Development of the Industrial United States, 1876-1915
Emergence of Modern America, 1890-1930

 related collections and exhibits
These collections and exhibits contain thematically-related primary and secondary sources. Also browse the Collection Finder for more related material on the American Memory Web site.

American Life Histories, 1936-1940
California as I Saw It: First Person Narratives, 1849-1900
Civil War Photographs, 1861-1865
Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920
First-Person Narratives of the American South, 1860-1920
The Northern Great Plains, 1880-1920
Photographs from the World's Transportation Commission, 1894-1896
Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, ca. 1820-1910
Small-Town America: Stereoscopic Views, 1850-1920
Taking the Long View,1851-1991
Touring Turn-of-the-Century America, 1880-1920
Washington As It Was, 1923-1959

 other resources
Recommended additional sources of information.
Read More About It! - A bibliography
Related Resources: Railroad Maps
 search tips
Specific guidance for searching this collection.

Search for maps using the keyword search. Browse the collection using the Title Index, Subject Index, Creator Index, Geographic Locations or Railroad Lines Index.

For help with search strategies, see Finding Items in American Memory.

 viewing tips

There are a number of different viewing options, but no special viewers are needed to see the maps. A special technology called MrSID (Multi-Resolution Seamless Image Database) by LizardTech allows you to zoom in or out on an area of the map that you wish to inspect. If you wish to save maps with these special viewing options on your computer, you will need to download the free MrSID software.

 
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Last updated 02/12/2004