Open Historical Map/Resources

This page provides a list of resources that may be of value to historic mappers. Things listed here should have licenses that permit use for Open Data projects. Items found within the list may be Maps, Drawings, Images, Moving Images, Text, Records, Series, and Virtual Collections.

Workflow for tracing Sanborn maps (large scale Fire insurance maps in the US)

Cool Base Layers

Copy these into ID's Custom Layer when editing:

• NLS example - http://geo.nls.uk/maps/towns/haddington1893/{zoom}/{x}/{-y}.png
• Mapwarper - anything from the http://www.mapwarper.net Export tab.

Online Historical Map sources

• Sanborn Maps - (USA) Detailed fire insurance maps are out of copyright over 97 years old from Library of Congress.
  • Workflow for efficiently georeferencing Sanborn maps using modern parcel geometry
  • Adam Cox’s Sanborn Maps project
• Many university map libraries have online collections
  • Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (UTexas)
• David Rumsey Map collection
• United States Geological Survey Historical Maps online
• Ghosts of DC https://ghostsofdc.org/
• AllMaps Project

OSM imagery sources

Several imagery sources are listed by default for ID and JOSM. We are currently working on clarifying whether they can be used for mapping in OHM (Github ticket). The use cases for modern imagery are limited but there are times when they can be valuable. The status of each provider is listed below:

• Mapbox - OHM has permission
• ESRI World Imagery - discussions are positive and ongoing, but not yet resolved
• Bing - working on it

Worldwide

• Old Maps Online - a directory to maps in various repositories around the world. Each repository may have different rights and licenses associated

Asia

Europe

North America