MSU Libraries

In 1865, Michigan’s mineral resources were just beginning to make a mark on the world. The western movement of people and wartime reliance on northern transportation routes drew attention to Michigan’s newly convenient resources including iron ore, copper, and salt.

The map at first glance is typical of its day, highlighting land divisions and railroad routes. But drawn over it in light lines are the boundaries of major geologic features of Michigan, which had recently been...

This map shows us that our fascination with depictions of California as an island is nothing new. This 1772 map compares five maps of California that had been drawn between 1604 through 1767. During this time span California went from being a peninsula to an island, and back to a peninsula again.

The Spanish were the primary European explorers in the area. Traveling up the west coast of America from the south, the Baja...

This map depicts the status of land division and disposition of Datoka Territory, under the United States General Land Office. At this time Dakota Territory comprised modern day North Dakota and South Dakota.

In the prior decade gold had been discovered inside the Great Sioux Reservation, which had led to the war between the United States and the Native Americans living in the region. This map shows the Great Sioux Reservation with its revised boundary...

This map is an early one to show the west coast of Africa in such detail. The Atlantic Slave Trade had been increasing for the past 150 years and was going to continue to increase for another 200. Portuguese influence can be seen by “Rio Portugues” dividing Mauritania (Genehoa) from Senegal. Goree Island, an early site of European activity, is noted. The cartouche shows light skinned people displaying products of bounty including fruit and...