Maps present a dynamic art that is constantly evolving as time goes by. Last October, we wrote about the history of cartography and it’s progression over the years. We’ve also added an entire collection of historic maps to our online map shop. However, since the advent of Google Maps and other digital mapping solutions, some might say that the art of traditional cartography has been lost to the digital age.
Historic Map collector David Rumsey, fuelled by cartographic passion, has used a digital copy of his historic maps within Google Maps to create a refreshing perspective on digital cartography. Over 120 historic maps from years 1680 to 1930 have been layered over World Locations giving an insight into the evolution of cartography.
His collection consists of more than 150,000 historical maps which he has been collecting since 1999. Over 17,000 of these have been scanned to create a digital copy and are available in the free public library at www.davidrumsey.com. Rumsey believes that everyone should have access to these maps and they are available to download in high resolution for personal use.
Check out the project here.
