Maps and atlases are some of the most important primary sources documenting the discoveries of the new territories, development of land, transportation, ways of navigation, communication and interactions of communities. As historical evidences, maps and atlases produced usually based on the first hand accounts of the explorers' travels. Lehigh University Archives holds significant collections of local maps, city views and site plans, aerial photographs, canal and railroad maps and charts, and land ownership documents.
Special Collections houses unique maps and atlases, rare astronomy and geography books from 12th century to the present day documenting the world, Americas, South Seas, Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley, and Lehigh Campus. Some of the remarkable examples of the cartographers and their works are Portolan Charts, Julius Solinus, Abraham Ortelius, Ptolemy, Gerhard Mercator, Giovanni Botero, John Speed, to name a few. ASA Library catalog: Sample rare books with maps and early atlases in library catalog.
Geology of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania: Historical Works Lehigh Portolan Charts in PACSCL Bibliophilly (Bibliotecha Philadelphiensis) Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company Records (1826-1940) Digital Scholarly Editions: The North American Atlas (1759-1777)
Exhibitions: Several library exhibits with rare maps and atlases presented to the public in Linderman Library, some significant ones are: The American Environment through Travelers' Eyes (2011) Cartographic Perspectives: From the New World to Your World (2008) The Great South Sea (1962) The Size and Shape of the Earth (1958)
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Penn State University Libraries The Sanborn Map Company, the best known of the US fire-insurance map producers, has made maps since 1867. The fire insurance maps produced by Sanborn show building footprints, building material, height or number of stories, building use, lot lines, road widths and water facilities. The maps also show street names and property boundaries of the time.
Social Explorer Easy access to demographic information about the U.S. Create custom maps and reports. Covers 1790 to present.
GeoRef Contains over 3 million references to geoscience journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses.
Bloomsbury Architecture Library E-books, maps, building pages, timelines, and articles about architecture, urbanism, and interior design.
Data-Planet Statistical Ready Reference This database is designed to allow users to quickly navigate the 35 billion points of data contained in the repository, representing 4.9 billion datasets covering thousands of geographic entities. With Data-Planet Statistical Ready Reference, users can quickly search and view charts, maps, and rankings of time series at the country, state, county, MSA, postal code, and census-tract/block group levels.
David Rumsey Map Collection
USGS Historical Topographic Maps
USGS The National Map Viewer
USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
US National Parks Maps
Library of Congress Map Collections
New York Public Library Charting America Maps
Osher Map Library at University of Southern Maine
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at University of Texas Libraries
University of Connecticut Library Map and Geographic Information Center
Yale University Beinecke Library Early American Maps
Lehigh Valley Historic Map Collection on Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium Collection of historic local maps from the archives, libraries and museums in Lehigh Valley (ongoing collaborative project)
Freshman Handbook Maps of Bethlehem (South and North) 1890s - 1950s: Student handbooks were published by various University offices, departments, clubs and committees for the orientation of first year students to academic and social life including the surrounding Bethlehem area. These maps served as campus and neighborhood guides.
Visitor Guides and Campus Maps: 1960s to 2020s
More comprehensive Pennsylvania map resources can be found at the LibGuide by Heather Ross, Penn State Libraries.
Lehigh Valley Geology: Geological and economical histories of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, by Prof. Benjamin L. Miller. These two titles published in 1942 and they still are the top authoritative works on economical geology of Lehigh Valley. Miller covered topics from the Ice Age to cement and mining industries to the first ice cream and pretzel makers of the area.
Pennsylvania County Atlases and Maps from the 1850s-1970s
Digital geological and topographical maps of Lehigh and Northampton Counties1898
Atlas of surveys of the city of Scranton and borough of Dunmore, Pennsylvania : compiled from actual surveys and city records.