Thomas H. Poppleton, Plan of the City of New York, 1817. NYPL, Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division

In honor of the 400^th anniversary of Henry Hudson sailing into New York’s waters, the New York Public Library presents a beautiful selection of maps spanning the 17^th through 21^st centuries – ranging from maps that Hudson would have used, to a dynamic satellite map supported by Google.  The collection offers an overview of the region’s earliest exploration and how maps of the region have changed through the years.

The NYPL is home to one of the largest and most well used map collections in the world, according to my enthusiastic and knowledgeable docent. The exhibit includes unique images of the five boroughs, with views of Manhattan and Brooklyn seen from intriguing angles. These illustrations force you to think differently about the history of development in context of the river named after its most famous European explorer. The exhibit frames the development of New York in terms of its waterways – from the trade encouraged by sheltering harbors and the river extending north, to the fresh drinking water that allows so many people to live here.

A few highlights:

John Bachmann. New York & Environs. New York, 1859. NYPL, The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, Print Collection, Eno Collection

• At the very beginning of the exhibit, take a look at the four circular views of New York that center on Manhattan. My favorite is an image drawn by John Bachman (1859) which focuses on the very tip of Manhattan and Governor’s Island, as if seen through a fisheye lens.
• Walk along the Hudson all the way to Albany by following an impressive floor-appliqué in the middle of the exhibit.
• Keep an eye out for some of the more beautiful maps, such as The Hudson River and Its Watershed, from the Beacon Institute (2007). Its detailed decorative frame illustrates topics in the river’s history such as exploration, recreation, and industry.

Connie Brown. The Hudson River and Its Watershed, 2007. The Beacon Institute. NYPL, Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division.

• Also keep an eye out for Interpretive Cartography, a fun 1947 map of Long Island that is full of cultural iconography (such as fishermen, lighthouses and lobsters) drawn in the familiar style of Richard Scarry. (You may remember his books from your childhood – a worm wearing a single sneaker, and cats in lederhosen.)

The exhibit also looks at the revitalization of the waterways that carried the burden of pollution from intense industrial activity that made New York a center of trade.  Look at the brightly colored 1922 map of New York City’s myriad industries: leather goods, printing and publishing, women’s wear, and many others, proudly highlighted by city block. Factories dumped great volumes of chemical waste into the waterways for decades, damaging the ecosystems and restricting the general public from accessing the waterfront. The effort to bring the public back to the water has involved legislation to limit or stop pollution, actively cleaning up the river, and increasing public access to waterfront property, including the beach. Take a look at the cheerful 1941 map of NYC-area beaches, with little flags to note their quality as Good, Bad, or Fair. This refers to the cleanliness of the beach, and the intensity of overflow from sewage treatment plants during storm surges, which continue polluting certain areas today.

Industrial map of New York City showing Manufacturing industries concentration. 1922. NYPL, Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division.

I recommend taking advantage of the free guided-tours of the exhibit. Besides learning a lot about New York’s history, you may also enjoy some bizarre questions from other visitors. I was lucky to overhear the docent politely handling heated accusations from an older gentleman who was convinced that Brooklyn is “not attached” to Long Island. Thankfully the docent had a wide selection of evidence supporting his argument.

The NYPL gives visitors a glimpse into how Henry Hudson and the earliest European traders coming to the New World saw the region. It was fascinating to see the changes in map design and style over time, and watch the shorelines come into focus from the earliest, imprecise first impressions of Hudson, to highly accurate English maps from the 18^th century. The exhibit gives New Yorkers and visitors from all over a chance to see the city in a new way, with views of Manhattan before the skyscrapers, and a better appreciation for the city’s visual history.

Visit Mapping New York’s Shoreline: 1609-2009 in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 5th Avenue at 42nd Street, at the New York Public Library, through June 26, 2010.

Exhibit is open Monday, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.

Free public tours are offered Monday through Saturday at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Images included here at the courtesy of the New York Public Library.