Research helpers

Historic maps for Baltimore City and area

The Archives, and other sources, contain numerous maps for Baltimore City and area that help to provide a better picture of the environment in which your ancestors lived. The following are helpers to navigate the many images.

Original Baltimore Town, Additions & Annexations

Index map
Original, p/o Cole's Harbour, 60a, 1729 (TIF 100kB)
Jones Town, 10a, 1745 (JPG 9MB)
Part 1 (1747) and part 2 (1766) of Harrison's Marshes, 18a
Sheridines Addition 1750 (NE)
Slighs Addition 1754 (JPG 30 MB)
Hall's Addition, rest of Cole's Harbour, 30a 1753
Lunns Lot, 35a, 1765
Marshy Ground 1767
Howard's Timber Neck Addition 1766 (JPG 9MB)
p/o Plowmans, Philpot's, and Fell's land, 80a, 1773
Steiger's Meadow, 18a, 1781
Fells Prospect, 115a, 1781
Moale's and Steigers Addition 1782
Kemp's Addition, 127a, 1782
Parker's Haven, 116a, 1782
Gist's Inspection,11a, 1782
near Saratoga and Eutaw, 7a, 1799
1816 Annexation
1888 Annexation
Proposed 1918 Annexation
Ridgeley's Addition (JPG 3.6MB)
Whetstone point 1787
East and southeast addition, Section 1, 1793
  

City maps

There is a very extensive collection of Baltimore City Directories starting in 1799. Many of these included maps of the city. The following maps from the directories, and some others where noted, are available. Most are about 4-6 MB:

  • 1863-64
  • 1865-66
  • 1867-68
  • 1871
  • 1876
  • 1880
  • 1884
  • 1887
  • 1905
  • 1910
  • 1918-19
  • 1920

    • Aerial Photos

    These come from Johns Hopkins University Library

    Sanborn Insurance Maps

    Sanborn Insurance maps were originally created to estimate fire insurance risks, so they provide lots of information about the types of construction of houses and the use of buildings. The Archives contains many scanned images, but they are hard to find. The list can be found at Special Collection 2907 but, once you get to the right microfilm copy, it is hard to find the right image. The following provides indexes and links to the specific images:

    Index maps and finding aids:

    Links to starting image (click on desired year):

    Fire Protection Plats (expanded City)

    Hopkins

    Bromley Maps

    Additional useful links

    Martenet Maps

    One of the earliest makers of detailed maps is the
    Martenet Company, still in business in Baltimore.
    Copies are available for the following:

    Other


    Other helpers for Baltimore area records:

                            

    Updated 6 May 2022