Entry Page
Bird’s Eye Views of Maine including Transportation Maps
Urban Maps
English County Maps
WWI & II Maps and Case List
School Geographies
--a. How Geography was Taught
--b. Illustration Methods
--c. Astronomy in the 19th Century Classroom
--d. Races and Societies
--e. National and Regional Identity
--f. Climatic Zones
--g. Globes in the Classroom
Road Maps
--a. New England Regional Imagery
--b. Ideal Family
--c. Gas Station Experience
--d. Race and Ethnic Groups
--e. War Maps
Wall Maps

Osher Map Library Home Page

TREASURES III

A Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education

October 2, 2004 - June 30, 2005

Bird's Eye Views of Maine
 

Views of towns and cities may have been the most popular category of printed images in nineteenth century America. They have also been known as bird’s eye views, perspective maps and aero views. Although not drawn to scale, they show street patterns, buildings and major landscape features. These views hung in homes and businesses. They represented for many Americans in the nineteenth century the result of industrial development and of rapid economic growth and prosperity. City views compressed commerce and industry into neat, decorative scenes reflecting the well-being of Victorian America. Panoramic maps graphically depict the vibrant life of a city. Busy harbors speeding trains, factories and people on the move were vividly portrayed. Advances in the field of lithography made it possible to produce multiple copies of a view. For a suitable fee, the map artist would include illustrations of private homes in the main city plan thereby allowing a proud citizen to point to his property or business on the map. The most prolific artists and publishers of views were Thaadeus Mortimer Fowler, J.J. Stoner, George Norris, George Walker and Albert Ruger.
	1-a. F. B. Ladd Augusta, ME Colored lithograph, 30 x 44 cm. New York: Printed by F. Heppenheimer, 1854 Osher Collection
	1-b. G.H. Matthews Augusta in 1823 From a painting by Cyril Searle, 16 x 24 cm., and from: James North, History of Augusta, Maine, facsimile of 1870 ed. (Somersworth, NH: New England History Press, c 1981) Augusta, Maine, 1823 Osher Collection
image not available	1-c. Gina Platt Maine State Capitol building, St. Augustine Catholic Church and Fort Western Colored photographs Augusta, Maine, 2004
	2-a. John Badger Bachelder Saco and Biddeford Me. Colored lithograph, 29 x 82.5 cm. Boston: John Henry Bufford, ca. 1855 Osher Collection
	detail of above Bachelder lithograph, above
	2-b. Artist Unknown Waldoboro, Lincoln County Lithograph, 33 x 59 cm. Source unknown, 1896 Osher Collection
	2-c. Gina Platt Pepperell Manufacturing Company, Biddeford; German Meeting House, Waldoboro Colored photographs Maine, 2004
	3. J. J. Stoner City of Calais, St. Stephen and Milltown Washington Co. Charlotte Co. New Brunswick 1879 Lithograph, 50.2 x 65.9 cm. Madison, Wisconsin, 1879 Osher Collection
	detail of Stoner's lithograph, above
	Transportation Maps
	1. Walker & Lith. & Publ. Co. Birds Eye View Showing Portland R.R. Co. System and Connecting Lines Color lithograph, 69.5 x 52 cm. Boston, Copyright, 1909. Osher Collection
	detail of Walker's lithograph, above
	2. Trolley Wayfinder Birds Eye View of Trolley Routes In New England Color lithograph, 51 x 36 cm. Boston: New England Street Railway Club, ca. 1906 Osher Collection
	Next: Urban Maps