Pott Library Maps

The Pott Library's map collection is a vast holding of maps dating from the earliest days of printing to the 21st century. The maps cover river geography, charting and other riparian subjects.
Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library
A Proposed Development of the Northern River Front Saint Louis
Plate 6. General Plan of the Proposed Northern Riverfront Development. Includes an airport, recreation center, forest, lagoon, beaches, yacht basin, and equestrian field., From: Plans for the northern and southern river front, Saint Louis, Missouri / City Plan Commission ; Harland Bartholomew, engineer.
Course of the River Mississippi, from the Balise to Fort Chartres
Based on surveys conducted only a few years after the Treaty of Paris ceded lands east of the Mississippi to England, Lieutenant Ross’s detailed map was a significant advance over such distinguished French cartographers as D’Anville. On a scale like few others for the length of river depicted, the Ross map was widely held to be the most reliable map of the river produced in the 18th century—it clearly evidences the Mississippi Valley’s growing social, political, commercial and agricultural significance., Details Mississippi River in 1765. Published in 1778 edition of: The American atlas : or, A geographical description of the whole continent of America: wherein are delineated at large, its several regions, countries, states, and islands ; and chiefly the British colonies, composed from numerous surveys / several of which were made by order of government by Major Holland ... [et al.] ; engraved on 49 copper-plates by Thomas Jefferys and others.
Draught of the River Missis[s]ippi from the Balise up to Fort Chartres
This is the most important description of old and new settlements along the Mississippi River Valley in English in the 18th century by a soldier who volunteered to bring new knowledge to the British command in North America concerning Louisiana, all readers having to the time of publication of this new book depended far too long on out of date sources. Pittman himself had noted that “Louisiana is no longer the same as in the time of Pere Hennepin, and all other authors that I have read on this subject rather abound with Indian stories and talks, than with useful information”. He was in St. Louis two years after its establishment and observed its progress directly. He mapped the region thoroughly for his government as Ross had done, to Fort Chartres., From: The present state of the European settlements on the Mississippi : with a geographical description of that river illustrated by plans and draughts / by Captain Philip Pittman.
Harbor of Saint Louis.
Map of the Mississippi River stretching from Alton, Illinois to Saint Louis, Missouri and East Saint Louis, Illinois. Includes islands (Kerr's Island; Cabaret Island; Chouteau Island; Wilson's Island; Mobile Island; Ellis Island) and railroads (CH. A. & ST. L. R. R.; St. L. A. & T. H. R. R.; Edwardsville Coal R. R.; O. & M. R. R.)., From: Message of the mayor, and reports of city officers : delivered to the city council.
Map of the Mississippi River from the Falls of St. Anthony to the Junction of the Illinois River
Complied from survey of Upper Mississippi River from St. Paul to Grafton - made in 1878 and 1879 under direction of Bvt. Lt. Col. F. U. Farquhar, U.S.A. Major, Corps of Engr's; with additions from notes and surveys done under the direction of Bvt. Maj. Gen'l G. K. Warren, U.S.A. Major, Corps of Engr's, Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engr's and Major A. MacKenzie, Corps of Engr's. Drawn under the direction of Major A. MacKenzie, Corps of Engr's. U.S.A., Contains a table of distances in miles by Steamboat Channel from St. Paul to St. Louis, as well as topographical signs for the steamboat channel of 1887, dams, shore protections and nearby roads and railroads.
Map of the Mississippi from St. Louis to the Marameck River
In the time of the flatboats and the coming of the first steamboats documented so well through the early American navigational river guides, maps clearly indicated a future problem for St. Louis and its highly praised river harbor—the city was essentially on a peninsula which could become a remote island due to floods and other naturally occurring circumstances over time. The many islands and sand bars in the river were alarming testament in early maps. This map was an inserted extra leaf in the 1811 edition of Zadok Cramer's Navigator.
Map of the Properties and Railway Terminals of the Wiggins Ferry Company
Maps showing railroads and ferry operations across the Mississippi River between East St. Louis, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri.
Mississippi No. 1
In the time of the flatboats and the coming of the first steamboats documented so well through the early American navigational river guides, maps clearly indicated a future problem for St. Louis and its highly praised river harbor—the city was essentially on a peninsula which could become a remote island due to floods and other naturally occurring circumstances over time. The many islands and sand bars in the river were alarming testament in early maps., The western pilot : containing charts of the Ohio River, and of the Mississippi from the mouth of the Missouri to the Gulf of Mexico, accompanied with directions for navigating the same, and a description of the towns on their banks, tributary streams, etc. Also, a variety of matter interesting to all who are concerned in the navigation of those rivers / by Samuel Cumings. Cincinnati : Morgan, Lodge and Fisher, printers, 1825.
Mississippi River No. 1
In the time of the flatboats and the coming of the first steamboats documented so well through the early American navigational river guides, maps clearly indicated a future problem for St. Louis and its highly praised river harbor—the city was essentially on a peninsula which could become a remote island due to floods and other naturally occurring circumstances over time. The many islands and sand bars in the river were alarming testament in early maps.
Proposed Land Use 4 Development Plan 4
This ambitious plan was to develop riverfront north and south of downtown, as well as west., From: Saint Louis riverfront development plan. [St. Louis, Mo.] : City Plan Commission of Saint Louis, 1967.
Steamboat Wharf Locations at St. Louis
This map, plotted out by Norbury Wayman, shows the various locations of steamboat lines and related companies on the St. Louis levee, detailing three periods of time; before 1865; 1865 - 1900; and 1900 - 1953. Lines and companies are donated by name, location and years of operation. Nearby streets are mapped as well, for easy frame of reference. Scale in feet: 100 ft. = 1 inch.
The "Father of Waters"
This facsimile of William Glazier's "The 'Father of Waters'" shows the Mississippi River from Glazier's believed source - Lake Glazier, to the Gulf of Mexico. The original map was produced by Glazier in 1887.

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