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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crescent City Harbor California . . . 1859

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

16 x 12 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

95988

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

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

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

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

Nantucket to Cape Hatteras . . . 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1863

Size:

27 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

47081

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

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

Columbia River. Sheet No. 2

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1890

Size:

27 x 24 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

42772

Archived

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 (1900 circa)

Size:

22.5 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

100074

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

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:

24 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

99462

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 (1900 circa)

Size:

22.5 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

99460

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States Middle Sheet From San Francisco To Umpquah River . . . 1854 Corrected to 1869

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1869 (circa 1900)

Size:

25 x 22.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

99461

Preliminary Chart of Eastern Entrance of Santa Barbara Channel . . . 1857 (Rare Separately Published Example)

United States Coast Survey / George Davidson

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857 circa

Size:

23 x 16 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

57474

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States Middle Sheet From San Francisco To Umpquah River . . . 1854

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1854

Size:

22.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

94869

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington D.C. / 1857

Size:

20 x 26.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

94868

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

[Umpqua River to Cape Mendocino] Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From Monterey To The Columbia River in three sheets. Sheet No. 2. . . . 1850 (second edition) [Separately Published on thick paper]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1850

Size:

19 x 17 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

57742

Reconnaissance of Catalina Harbor And the Anchorage on the NE Side of the Island . . . 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1852

Size:

10.5 x 14.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

87138

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

Coast Chart No. 155 Coast of South Carolina and Georgia from Hunting Island to Ossabaw Island Including Port Royal Sound and Savannah River

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1873 (1889)

Size:

41 x 32 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

90686

Santa Cruz Harbor [and] San Simeon Harbor [and] Coxo Harbor [and] Harbor of San Luis Obispo

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washintgon / 1852

Size:

13.5 x 17 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

92381

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

Mobile Bay Alabama From the Trigonometrical Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache Superintendent of the Survey of the Coast of the United States . . . 1856.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1877 (1885)

Size:

28 x 38.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

90690

Preliminary Sketch of Mobile Bay Published in 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1852

Size:

13.5 x 17 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

88238

Preliminary Chart of York River Virginia From Entrance to King's Creek . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

23 x 16.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

89564

City of San Francisco and Its Vicinity . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

18 x 26 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

76936

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

27 x 20 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

56520

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

20.5 x 27 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

79616

Preliminary Survey of Anacapa Island And East End of Santa Cruz Island California . . . 1856

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1856

Size:

26 x 9.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

76221

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States Middle Sheet From San Francisco To Umpquah River . . . 1854

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1854

Size:

22.5 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

73343

Reconnaissance of Catalina Harbor And the Anchorage on the NE Side of the Island . . . 1852

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1852

Size:

10.5 x 14.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

73334

Mouth of the Columbia River From a Preliminary Survey . . . 1851

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1851

Size:

27 x 17 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

72621

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

22.5 x 22 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

72384

San Diego Bay From Trigonometrical Survey . . . 1857

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1857

Size:

27 x 20 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

44676

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1852 [Rare Separately Issued & Revised Electrotype Copy]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

23 x 22 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

64536

Nantucket to Cape Hatteras . . . 1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1863

Size:

27 x 23.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

47080

[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] 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

Sketch of Anacapa Island In Santa Barbara Channel . . . 1854 [with] Reconnaissance of Smith's or Blunt's Island Washington . . . 1854 [J.A. Whistler engraving]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1855

Size:

9.5 x 12 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

70293

"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

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

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

[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

Preliminary Sketch of Santa Barbara California . . . 1853

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

17 x 14 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

67806

Harbors of Black Rock and Bridgeport Founded upon a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of F.R. Hassler . . . 1848

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1848

Size:

19 x 14.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

39615

(Block Island) Eastern 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#:

35746mb

Harbors of Black Rock and Bridgeport Founded upon a Trigonometric Survey under the direction of F.R. Hassler . . . 1848

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1848

Size:

19 x 14.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32233mb

Cape Hatteras To Mosquito Inlet . . .1863

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1863

Size:

27 x 23 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

32280mb

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From Monterey To The Columbia River in three sheets. Sheet No. 3. [Columbia River to Umpquah River]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1851

Size:

17 x 19 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

42733

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . . 1852 [Rare Separately Issued & Revised Electrotype Copy]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853

Size:

23 x 22 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

57710

Patapsco River and Approaches from a Trigonometrical Survey under the Direction of F.R. Hassler and A.D. Bache . . . 1861 [Rare Thick Paper Electrotype Edition!]

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1859

Size:

32.5 x 22 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

32257mb

[Umpquah River to Cape Mendocino] Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From Monterey To The Columbia River in three sheets. Sheet No. 2.

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1851

Size:

19 x 17 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

42732

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

Koos Bay Oregon From a Trigonometrical Survey under the direction of A.D. Bache . . . 1865

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1865

Size:

25 x 19.5 inches

Condition:

VG+

Stock#:

62162

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States From San Francisco to San Diego . . .1853. Corrected to 1864

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington / 1853 (1864)

Size:

22.5 x 21.5 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

61284

U.S. Coast Survey . . . Sketch E Showing The Progress OF The Survey in Section V From 1847 to 1857 . . . (Florida to North Carolina)

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, DC / 1855

Size:

35 x 21 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

34406mb

Puget Sound Washington Territory 1867

United States Coast Survey

Place/Date:

Washington, D.C. / 1867

Size:

19.6 x 29.1 inches

Condition:

Stock#:

58243