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Antique maps by United States Coast Survey

The United States Office of the Coast Survey began in 1807, when Thomas Jefferson founded the Survey of the Coast. However, the fledgling office was plagued by the War of 1812 and disagreements over whether it should be civilian or military controlled. The entity was re-founded in 1832 with Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler as its superintendent. Although a civilian agency, many military officers served the office; army officers tended to perform the topographic surveys, while naval officers conducted the hydrographic work.

The Survey’s history was greatly affected by larger events in American history. During the Civil War, while the agency was led by Alexander Dallas Bache (Benjamin Franklin’s grandson), the Survey provided the Union army with charts. Survey personnel accompanied blockading squadrons in the field, making new charts in the process.

After the Civil War, as the country was settled, the Coast Survey sent parties to make new maps, employing scientists and naturalists like John Muir and Louis Agassiz in the process. By 1926, the Survey expanded their purview further to include aeronautical charts. During the Great Depression, the Coast Survey employed over 10,000 people and in the Second World War the office oversaw the production of 100 million maps for the Allies. Since 1970, the Coastal and Geodetic Survey has formed part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and it is still producing navigational products and services today.

Preliminary Chart of the Potomac River (in four sheets) Sheet No. 1 From Entrance to Piney Point [with] Sheet No. 2 From Piney Point to Lower Cedar Point [with] Sheet No. 3 From Lower Cedar Point to Indian Head [with] Sheet No. 4 From indian Head to Little Falls Bridge

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington D.C. / 1863

Size:

39 x 23.5 inches (each sheet)

Condition:

Stock#:

88214

City of San Francisco and Its Vicinity . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

18 x 26 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

88422

[Florida / Bahamas] . . . Mosquito Inslet to Key West. . . 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1863

Size:

27 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

75869

(Key Largo, Plantation Key, Islamorada etc.). Coast Chart No. 167 Florida Reefs From The Elbow To Lower Matecumbe Key . . . Published May 1895 . . .

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1895 circa

Size:

32 x 40 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

60805

Florida Reefs From Newfound Harbor Key to Boca Grande Key . . . 1859 (Includes Key West)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

31 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

82604

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1852

Size:

23 x 22 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

102842

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States (Northern Sheet) From Umpquah River to the Boundary By The Hydrographic Party . . . 1855

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1855

Size:

22.5 x 24 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

94870

Preliminary Chart of York River Virginia From Entrance to King's Creek (and) Preliminary Chart of York River Virginia From King's Creek To West Point

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857 & 1858

Size:

23 x 16.5 inches (each)

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32229mb

Alaska and Adjoining Territory 1869

United States Coast Survey / Henry Lindenkohl

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1869

Size:

23.5 x 24 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

60905

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington D.C. / 1857

Size:

20 x 27 inches

Condition:

Good

Stock#:

46699

Upper Part of San Francisco Bay California From a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of A.D. Bache . . . Triangulation and Topography by R.D. Cutts & A.F. Rogers . . . Hydrography by the parties under the Command of Commander James Laden & Lieut. Comdg. R.M. Cuyler . . . 1862

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1862

Size:

35.5 x 27 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36401mb

Preliminary Chart of Lower Part of Cape Fear River From Near Federal Point To Wilmington From a Trigonometric Survey . . . Triangulation and Topography by C.P. Bolles, Assistant. Hydrography by the party under the command of Lieut J.N. Maffitt . . . 1856

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1856

Size:

30 x 24.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36619mb

Galveston Entrance Texas From a Trigonometrical Survey Under the Direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853 (printed ca. 1890)

Size:

17 x 14.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

89559

Eastern Part of St. George's Sound Florida From a Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1859

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

28 x 23 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

95987

Nantucket to Cape Hatteras . . . 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1863

Size:

27 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

47081

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States (Northern Sheet) From Umpquah River to the Boundary By The Hydrographic Party . . . 1855 . . . Corrected to 1864

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1855 (20th Century)

Size:

22.5 x 23 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

100073

Columbia River. Sheet No. 2

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1890

Size:

27 x 24 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

42772

Reconnaissance of San Pedro Harbor California . . . 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

13.5 x 9.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

103254

Crescent City Harbor California . . . 1859

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

16 x 12 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

95988

Reconnaissance of San Clemente Harbor [with] Prisoner's Harbor . . . [with] Cuyler's Harbor Island of San Miguel . . . 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

13 x 17 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

102987

Archived

Southern Mississippi and Alabama Showing The Approaches To Mobile.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1863

Size:

24.5 x 23 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36592mb

Hydrographic Reconnaissance of James River Virginia From Entrance to City Point By Comr. W.T. Muse & Lieuts. R. Wainwright & J.N. Maffitt U.S. N. Assistants Coast Survey from 1854 to '59 . . .

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washinton / 1861 circa

Size:

43 x 29.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

34917mb

(Annotated by George Davidson to show the true course of the 1603 Martin D'Aguilar Tracks north of Monterey during the Sebastian Vizcaino Expedition) Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States Middle Sheet From San Francisco To Umpquah River . . . 1854 Corrected to 1864

United States Coast Survey / George Davidson

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1854 (1869)

Size:

25 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

57683

Preliminary Chart of Charleston Harbor And Its Approaches From a Trigonometric Survey . . . Triangulation by C.O. Boutelle . . . Topography by S.A. Gilbert & J. Seib . . . Hydrography by the Parties under command of Lieuts J.N.Maffitt & T.B. Huger . . . 1858 . . . Additions in 1862.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1862

Size:

32.5 x 37.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36606mb

Hydrographic Reconnaissance of James River Virginia From Entrance to City Point By Comr. W.T. Muse & Lieuts. R. Wainwright & J.N. Maffitt U.S. N. Assistants Coast Survey from 1854 to '59 . . .

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washinton / 1861 circa

Size:

43 x 29.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36383mb

[Charleston] Preliminary Chart of Charleston Harbor And Its Approaches From a Trigonometric Survey . . . Published in 1858 . . . 1864

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1864

Size:

31.5 x 32.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

50361

Map Showing the operations of the national forces under the Command of Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman During the Campaign resulting in the capture of Atlanta Georgia Sept. 1, 1864

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1864

Size:

24.5 x 19 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

46182

Map of New-York Bay and Harbor And The Environs Founded upon a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of F.R. Hassler . . . 1845 [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1845

Size:

34 x 24.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36596mb

Preliminary Chart of Delaware and Chesapeake Bays and the Sea Coast From Cape Henlopen To Cape Charles (Rare Variant Edition on Thick Paper)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1855

Size:

31 x 25 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

34278mb

Chesapeake Bay Sheet No. 4 [with:] Sheet No. 5 [with:] Sheet No. 6

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1848

Size:

37.5 x 25 inches each

Condition:

Stock#:

35886mb

Key West Harbor and its approaches From a Trigonometrical Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache . . . Published in 1855. Sailing Directions and Buoys corrected to 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

New York / 1863

Size:

33.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36582mb

Charleston Harbor And Its Approaches Showing the positions of the Rebel Batteries 1863.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1863

Size:

26.5 x 26.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

62289

City of San Francisco and its Vicinity California. From a plane table survey by A.F. Rogers Sub-assistant. . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1857

Size:

34.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32186mb

City of San Francisco and its Vicinity California. From a plane table survey by A.F. Rogers Sub-assistant. . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1857

Size:

34.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

32303mb

Map of Alaska By the Alaska Road Commission. 1909

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1909

Size:

72 x 60 inches (if joined)

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32348mb

City of San Francisco and its Vicinity California. From a plane table survey by A.F. Rogers Sub-assistant. . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1857

Size:

34.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

32359mb

Charleston Harbor And Its Approaches Showing the positions of the Rebel Batteries 1863.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1863

Size:

26.5 x 26.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

40804mb

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1859 (Rare separately issued variant edition)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

27 x 20 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

32345mb

[South Carolina Coastline] Preliminary Chart No. 14 of the Sea Coast of the United States from Cape Roman S.CA. To Tybee Island GA. From a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache Superintendent . . . (Unrecorded/Updated Separately Issued Edition)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857 (1861 ca)

Size:

38 x 31.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

36400mb

Charleston Harbor And Its Approaches Showing the positions of the Rebel Batteries 1863.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1863

Size:

19 x 24 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

40821mb

Coast Chart No. 68 Florida Reefs From Key Biscayne to Carysfort Reef From A Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1861

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1861

Size:

39 x 31 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

48011

[St. Augustine and Cape Canaveral] Sapelo Sound to Little Bahama Bank

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D. C. / 1884 (1920)

Size:

25.5 x 38.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

68103

City of San Francisco and Its Vicinity . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

18 x 25 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

69809

Savannah River and Wassaw Sound From a Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1867

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1867 (1885)

Size:

34.75 x 29.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

90685

New York Bay and Harbor New York from a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1877

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1866 (1877)

Size:

26.25 x 32.5 inches

Condition:

Good

Stock#:

90695

City of San Francisco and It's Vicinity . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

25 x 18.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

34729

New York Bay and Harbor New York from a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1877

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1866 (1877)

Size:

30 x 27 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

43707

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857 (Rare Electrotype Copy No. 4 -- Separately Issued)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

27 x 20 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

46743

(George Davidson Signed Copy) Puget Sound Washington Territory 1867

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1867

Size:

19.6 x 29.1 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

54948

Mississippi River From Cairo Ill. to St. Marys Mo. In VI Sheets. Reconnaissance for the use of the Mississippi Squadron . . . 1865.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1865

Size:

13.5 x 22.5 inches (each)

Condition:

Stock#:

55448

Cedar Keys and Approaches Florida From a Trigonometric Survey . . . 1854

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1854

Size:

23 x 18 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

45296

Coast Chart No. 70 Florida Reefs From Long Key To Newfound Harbor Key From A Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1863

Size:

30.5 x 26 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

47986

Coast Chart No. 69 Florida Reefs From The Elbow To Lower Matecumbe Key . . . 1863 (Key Largo, Plantation Key, Islamorada etc.).

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1863

Size:

30.5 x 26 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

47987

"Preliminary Chart of Entrance to San Francisco Bay From a Trigonometrical Survey under the direction of A. D. Bache Superintendent . . . 1856

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1856

Size:

39 x 20.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

70112

City of San Francisco and Its Vicinity . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

18 x 26 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

76936

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1853 [Rare Separately Issued & Revised Electrotype Copy]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

23 x 22 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

47368

New York Bay and Harbor New York from a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1861 [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1861

Size:

30 x 27 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32256mb

Preliminary Chart of Entrance To Pensacola Bay Florida . . . Published in 1859 . . . Buoys placed by Captn. T.A.Jenkins U.S.N. Nov 1864.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1864

Size:

27 x 19 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32279mb

St. Mary's River and Fernandina Harbor Florida From a Trigonometrical Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1857 (1863)

Size:

32 x 25 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32283mb

Salem Harbor Massachusetts. Founded upon a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of Alexr. D. Bache . . . New Edition in 1859 [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

31.5 x 25 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32304mb

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States (Lower Sheet) San Francisco to San Diego... 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1853

Size:

22.5 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

82293

Preliminary Sketch of Santa Barbara California . . . 1853 (Thick Paper Presentation Example!)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

17 x 14 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

95111

Preliminary Chart of Savannah River Wassaw Sound Wilmington and Tybee Rivers. Georgia. From a Trigonometrcial Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache . . .

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1862

Size:

34 x 29 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

35374mb

Preliminary Chart of St. John's River Florida From Brown's Creek to Jacksonville [and] . . . From Entrance to Brown's Creek [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1856

Size:

49.5 x 38.5 inches (if joined)

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32277mb

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1853 [Rare Separately Issued & Revised Electrotype Copy]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

23 x 22 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32307mb

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

27 x 20 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32554

New Haven Harbor. Founded upon a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of F.R. Hassler . . . 1846 . . . [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey / Sherman & Smith

Place/Date:

New York / 1846

Size:

14 x 17 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32951mb

Hampton Roads and Elizabeth River Virginia. From a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of Alexr. D. Bache . . . 1864 . . .

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1848

Size:

21 x 17 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32997mb

Middle Part of the Southern Coast of Long Island

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1857

Size:

34.5 x 24 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

35723mb

Mississippi River From Cairo Ill. to St. Marys Mo. In VI Sheets. Reconnaissance for the use of the Mississippi Squadron . . . 1865.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1865

Size:

22 x 31 inches (each)

Condition:

Stock#:

0050bm