My current WIP takes place in the arctic archipelago in 1848/49. Dispite a great deal of creative searching, I've been unable to locate any era maps of the area. The British search for the Northwest Passage peaked just a few years before in 1845--when the lost expedition under Sir John Franklin left England--so I know the maps I need exist. However, I've been unable to locate any of them using google or the resources of my local library. I own a collection of books on 19th century arctic exploration, but all the maps offered are modern and therefore useless. The exact area of my attentions--Ellsemere Island, the western coast of Greenland, and the waters between--were not mapped until after my WIP takes place. However, I still need what maps and charts would have been available at the time. The Royal Navy was notorious for overdoing everything, so the information is out there. In conclusion, I am requesting aid in finding old maps.
Can you find something suitable from raremaps.com or geographicus.com? There are maps by David Hugh Burr that have some of that area from around 1835 that might be a starting point, assuming they were made available to your characters. On those websites, I think you can even buy antique copies of the maps, but some are in the thousands (but high res images are cheaper), but research is important and you got to do it right?
Hello friend, I'm a fan of the story and legend surrounding the Northwest Passage. I did have a map saved for reference of early maps to my world; reverse google searched it and found this article for you. Hope it helps.
Thank you for the suggestion and sites. I could likely find what I need, however, I don't have the money needed. My horse requires two thirds of my bank account, and the rest will barely covers editing costs when the time comes.
Hi. Glad to know I'm not the only one who's made a study of the Northwest Passage and the overall arctic. It's a unique interest have--at least where I live--but I find it rewarding. I knew about the maps you brought up already, they don't go high enough to be helpful, but I thank you all the same.
The images are around $20-40, but you could note the specific map and cartographer and see if there is a public domain version available. It's also possible that if the original is owned by a museum they may let you use a facsimile with citation and an acknowledgement (not sure how that works or if that is realistic).
I don't know if or how the latter idea would work. I also don't really want to call to find out. I'm awkward on the phone as things stand, and I don't really want to make a fool of myself. I don't even have that. Research needs to basically be free. I love my horse, but I'm broke because of him.
