We can see the Caroline County landscape in 1897, thanks to the efforts of two county citizens working 72 years apart.
I found no reference to M. L. Saulsbury’s mapmaking in the Denton Journal around 1897. So I’m not sure why this map was made. And I haven’t seen an original version. So, our thanks to G. H. Fooks for tracing and “certifying” a copy of the original 72 years later, in 1969. One might guess the copy was “certified” as authoritative for real estate tax, inheritance, or land ownership issues.
The map shows the owner’s name for many farm and town residences and businesses. And the locations of roads, grist mills, sawmills, stables, and churches across the entire county.
A tattered copy of the very large 1897 was in the collection of Caroline County Library’s main branch at Denton in 2010 when I started working to digitize and publish this in a web map. I scanned the paper map on my small home scanner and published the digital map in two sections, north and south.
Thanks to David Baker, president of the Upper Shore Genealogical Society of Maryland, who provided large format digital copies of the 1897 map in summer 2022. According to David, the county commissioners had the map re-created in 1969, and some were for sale at the county zoning office many years ago. He obtained a copy and had it professionally scanned and converted to a digital form, so that it could be shared for genealogy or historical research. I geo-rectified David’s image file (stretched it over the modern digital map) and published a new and better map layer.
Lots of ways to revisit 1897
File Downloads
Interactive Map Apps
Simple Map Viewer – Turn the 1897 layer on/off, change the transparency/opacity, change the basemap.
Compare 1897 to Satellite Imagery – Or change the basemap to streets, topography, night view.
Compare the 1875 Isler and 1897 Saulsbury Maps – Zoom, pan, swipe.
Family Names Search – 1897 – Search, select, zoom automatically to the one-mile section where the name appears.
Heritage Sites Research Map – See Caroline County Historical Society, Maryland Historical Trust, USGS, and other sites and names over historical basemaps.
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I found a large copy of this map at an estate I’m clearing out. It’s in perfect condition. What would you value something like this? Who/where could I find a person/place that would be interested?
What year is the map from? Is it of Caroline County? I would be interested give me a call if you still have it. 612-655-1193 Nate
Hi, I know this is years after your original comment. I don’t know how much it is worth, but I’m interested in owning it, if you still do by chance.
I’d be happy to get a nice copy of the physical map for the Genealogical Society. You can email me at usgsmd at yahoo.com if you’re still in possession of it and willing to part with it
I just emailed Sara . to let her know of your interest.
Hi. I do not have possession of this map any longer. Unfortunately, the couple I did the estate clearance for were relocating. I haven’t had any further contact. Sorry.