Really Cool: 10,000 Old Texas Maps

[Hornius Emeritus]

Here is a Christmas gift FYI.


I just discovered that the Texas General Land Office has literally THOUSANDS of old maps of Texas.

Here's the really cool thing: you can purchase copies of any of them for only 20.00. Proceeds go directly to the General Land Office's program to preserve these maps, many of which are deteriorating.

Anyway, I love looking through these and I thought that maybe you guys would, too.


The Link


Here are a few of them:



Partial View of Austin, Texas in 1895. Done by Augustus Koch::

A.R. Roesler's famous 1874 map of Texas:

Travis County, 1888::

City of San Antonio, 1892, complete with advertisements on the sides:

 

[KC-97HORN]

Thanks for the link.

although theres a lot of these that are more than $20- its still a great gift idea

 

[johnny chimpo]

Are these originals or replicas?

 

[Mrmyke709]

I would think the "copy" part indicated that...

I can spend hours looking at those old maps.

 

[El Paso Way]

Hornius, I am going to order the second one (A.R. Resslers). I looked for the size of it but couldn't find it. Did anyone else find what size they are?

 

[Hornius Emeritus]

El Paso Way:


It is large:

The Link

 

[El Paso Way]

Fantastic. Just placed my order. Don't know how I missed that.

 

[Austintxusa]

Love old Texas maps!

 

[longhrnfan]

how do they come? glossy? matte? what type of paper? anyone know?

 

[ADMIRALSTOCKDALE]

i bought my dad an antique map of north carolina (he has a house there). it is probably the coolest thing i've ever given him.

 

[Orange&White]

That is awesome. Thank you tremendously for posting.

 

[TXSNOS]

I worked at the General Land Office for many years. Most of the maps they have on file are originals that were prepared in the course of GLO business over the years. Obviously some of the maps they have were mass produced (like the San Antonio map above) but even those are authentic versions of those maps.

I don't know what the copies they sell look like because I'm sure they have significantly more advanced technology today than they did when I left in 2001.

 

[Rip76]

Great site...
I've been checking it out for a while now,

Home and office.

1965

 

[Scooter]

My wife gave me an old map of Oklahoma "Indian Territory" (I grew up near the Ok-Kan state line). It is an original map from the 1890s. It shows salt mines, trading posts and "negroe settlement" where Oklahoma City is now.

 

[Nordberg]

God I love it when you post Scooter.

 

[El Paso Way]

Scooter, where can I get that map. I love studying american history and love maps of the early southwest. The history of the cattlle drive routes would really intreste me.

 

[kjgirl]

You can look up maps and other older Texas history documents on the state archives website.

If you want gift ideas - I got my husband the Contours of Discovery set for his birthday. It comes with a history book and I think about 20 or so maps of smaller sizes.The Link

 

[FlyinHorn]

Thanks. I'm buying one.

 

[El Paso Way]

Great link Kjgirl, seems you like history of the Great Southwest as I do. One of the best books I have read on Texas and Oklahoma in the very early days was written by Grant Forman. I believe its called " Early Travelers of The Great Southwest". It starts when the Frence fur traders founded the three forks where Fort Gibson was established. Sam Houston founded his first trading post there before he made his way to Texas. It is a very good read if you like history as I do.