The Maryland Collection also contains a microfiche collection of 19th century Maryland land ownership maps. The collection contains thirty-three maps showing the results of land surveys across several Maryland counties, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Frederick, Kent, Montgomery, and Prince George's.
Land ownership maps were a profitable commercial venture during the 19th century for both mapmakers and surveyers. They were used to delineate the boundaries of settled land in the region, and featured the names of individual landowners. They also identified roads, businesses, churches, towns, and other geographic features, depending on the detail used by the mapmaker. These microfiche maps are copied from the larger collection of United States land ownership maps housed at the Library of Congress.
Landownership maps are a particularly rich source of information about prominent residents, property, buisnesses, and relative wealth. They are useful to researchers interested in geneology, rural landscapes, and cultural history in the 1800s.
A guide to land ownership maps, which includes bibliographic descriptions, is located in the Maryland Room.
Flip to the Maryland section for maps available in the Maryland Room
