Collection Information
Beyond knowing the name of the city or township where your ancestor lived, a good working knowledge of each location can be critical when it comes to knowing what records are available, where you can find them, why your ancestors made the choices they did. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and other natural hazards may have determined where your ancestor went to shop, worship, and take care of business. Maps and atlases give us a look at the lay of the land. Detailed maps may include other features like churches, cemeteries, government buildings, and in some cases even the names of property holders.
Throughout history, boundaries and borders have been redrawn. Knowing where those lines fell during the life of your ancestor is an important part of family history.
Maps and atlases can help us become familiar with the places where our ancestors lived, learn more about the environment they lived in, and what civil jurisdiction may hold the records they left behind.
Sample Images
Search Tips
- This category can be searched by place name, but don’t overlook searching for your ancestor by name. You may find occasional mentions of people and some places were named for prominent citizens.
- Many of the publications in this category are browsable. Use the browse links to scan the index and table of contents and get a feel for the types of details that are included in the publication.
- To get a better feel for the maps and gazetteers available for your ancestor’s area, visit the Card Catalog and use the filters to select Maps, Atlases, & Gazetteers, and below to filter down to your ancestor’s location.