Mapping Olde New York

Having used the New York Public Library's map collection to put together a little Leaflet.js map of New York Vintage Maps I remembered that the library also has a great collection of free and open access vintage photographs. I therefore decided to take advantage of the library's collection of historical photographs of New York to add some vintage photos of Lower Manhattan to the vintage maps of New York.

My New York Vintage Maps site therefore now displays vintage maps which have been georectified by the New York Public Library's Map Warper project overlaid with old photos (and one or two sketches) from the New York Public Library's Digital Collections.


My New York Map is obviously inspired by other great vintage map and photographs sites such as Our Town Stories - Edinburgh and Helsinki Ennen. The Helsinki map includes the option to filter the maps and photos by decade, allowing you to view the historical photos of the city on a map from the same decade. In the future I hope to add a similar filter to the New York Vintage Maps collection.