11/8 Preparing to work with maps

Find a map online via the New York Public Library’s map collection. You have two options in terms of the map that you pick:

  1. Select a map related to a place you are researching
  2. If your research topic does not focus on a neighborhood or place, then pick a map related to one of the three places you went on a fieldtrip with Prof. Aptekar

Link to or, preferred, download the map and include it in your report.

Write a 50 word blog post about the map where you are focusing on how the neighborhood is different from what you observed in person or have already learned about it via your research. Create a citation for your map at the end of your post.

Your assignment for Monday 11/13 based on the visit to the NYPL Map Room will be a similar exercise but you will be asked to compare the historic map to a current one and answer detailed questions about it.

28 thoughts on “11/8 Preparing to work with maps”

  3. Comparing Brooklyn Heights Neighborhood insurance map which published by Sanborn Map in the year of 1887, just four year after completion of Brooklyn Bridge, I found that the area looks different from what I saw nowaday. The Fulton Street on the Sanborn map in 1887 is now called Cadman Plaza West, Washington Street in the Sanborn map is now named Cadman Plaza East. One sigficant big change is the Cadman Plaza, now it is a memorial park, however, back in 19th century, Cadman Plaza was actually a small one to three stories residential community area with complete community services (eg. Schools, Churchs). The area was diagonaled by High street, Nassau Street, Liberty street and Concord st, which are all closed, and the whole area got wiped out today. The small-scaled memorial park, Korean War Veterans Plaza, was a four stories iron warehouse with few more brick building attached back in time, also got wiped out and transformed into a memorial park.

    Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Brooklyn V. 2, Double Page Plate No. 38 [Map bounded by Washington St., Pierrepont St., Hicks St., Middagh St., Sands St.]” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1884-. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/7ac9917a-0368-0aeb-e040-e00a18063919

  12. One of the major differences I noticed on this map was the placement of the Brooklyn Bridge’s entrance. On the map, the entrance is placed on Washington Street which is now called Cadman Plaza East. Today, the entrance is on Adams Street which is a block to the east. Other differences that I’ve noted are Cadman Plaza West once being called Fulton Street and both High Street and Sand Street, now cut off by the Brooklyn Bridge along Adam Street, were continuous terminating at Fulton Street (Cadman Plaza West).

    Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Brooklyn, Vol. 1, Double Page Plate No. 1; Part of Wards 1, 2, 4 & 5, Section 1; [Map bounded by East River, Gold St., Hudson Ave., Little St.; Including Navy St., Johnson St., Pierrepont St.]; Sub Plan No. 1; [Map bounded by Hudson Ave., East River, U.S. Navy Yard; Including Little St., Marshall St.]” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1916.

    http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6c05633e-3bde-b9cf-e040-e00a18063bc7

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