The Coastal Surveys are beautiful vintage charts, many of them hand-colored by John R. Barrows.
The United States Coast Survey was created by Congress in 1807 to conduct a "Survey of the Coast". First Superintendent, Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler's plan was to employ triangulation to establish the preliminary surveys. Galeyrie's earliest Coastal Surveys show this triangulation.
Various Superintendents developed the USCS's work in fields as diverse as astronomy, cartography, meteorology, geodesy, geology, geophysics, hydrography, navigation, oceanography, exploration, pilotage, tides and topography.
From 1843 to 1867, Alexander Bache was superintendent. He completed the mapping of the entire coast of the United States, followed by Benjamin Pierce. These are very detailed maps whose starting points were the earlier triangulations. These surveys contain information not found on a modern chart - property lines of the coastal area, as well as geological deposits. One will also see archaic spelling of place names & discontinued roads.
Galeyrie has many of the more detailed Coastal Surveys, especially (but not limited to) the coast of Maine. Our inventory includes River Surveys, and Harbor Surveys which contain "Profiles" of the view coming into harbor, helping pilots to steer the correct course.
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- Maine 1861 Kennebec River United States Coastal Survey
All of our map prints are created from high-resolution scans, printed on archival, heavyweight, enhanced matte paper, with permanent, pigmented Lucia inks. On this website, all of the maps are “zoomified” so you can get in close to examine fine detail.This 1861 map is a very small part of the huge undertaking by the Federal [...]
- Maine 1866 Portland Harbor United States Coastal Survey
A rare and beautiful hand colored map of Portland Maine and Portland Harbor showing some of the Islands of Casco Bay. Wharves,roads,houses and property boundary lines are shown in fine detail. Beautiful as a framed piece. Local delivery can be arranged.
- Maine 1870 Casco Bay United States Coastal Survey
United States Coastal Survey map. Shows water depths like a nautical chart but also shows roads,houses,topography,foliation and property boundary lines.Hand colored by John Barrows,this map is reproduced from a very high resolution scan.Long Island,Chebeague Island,Peaks and Long Island,Great and Little Diamond,”the Calendar Islands” .Beautiful framed. Local delivery is available.
- Maine 1879 Moosabec Reach Coastal Survey
More of a navigational chart than a Coastal Survey Map, this piece is nonetheless a beautiful and detailed document of the surveyor’s and cartographer’s arts. From Moose Neck in the West to the Spruce Islands in the East. Great Wass and Beals Islands,Jonesport.
- Maine 1910 East Penobscot Bay Coastal Survey
United States Coastal Survey. East Penobscot Bay. This print is from a hand colored ( watercolors) original I did a few years ago
- Maine Casco Bay 1863 United States Coastal Survey
This beautiful,1863 hand-colored,Preliminary Chart of Casco Bay is a tribute to the skills of surveyors,engineers and draftsmen who worked for the US Government in charting the coast of this Continent. Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow,the famous poet’s brother, was the surveyor of topography on this piece and many others we have in this collection of Coastal Surveys.Note [...]
- Maine Kennebec Sheepscot 1862 Coastal Survey
This map of the Sheepscot and Kennebec Rivers in Maine shows original hand coloring and all the details that make these US Coastal Survey maps interesting.Detail of roads,houses,topography,foliation and even property boundary lines. From the lighthouse at Seguin Island,upriver as far as the bridge at Wiscasset. A beautiful reproduction,archival print.
- Maine Penobscot Bay 1882 United States Coastal Survey
This 1882 Coastal Survey shows upper Penobscot Bay,Castine up river to Bangor. Topography,foliation,roads and property boundary lines. Original hand-coloring adds to the art quality of this reproduction giclee print,beautiful framed and local delivery can be arranged.
- Maine Portland Harbor 1862 United States Coastal Survey
A hand colored 1862 US Coastal Survey map of Portland and Portland Harbor showing the wharves,streets,roads and buildings of Maine’s largest city four years before a “great” fire destroyed most of it. A.W. Longfellow was one of the surveyors on this map.A fascinating document.Beautiful framed.We can arrange local delivery too.
- Maine Rockland 1863 United States Coastal Survey
This is an 1863 United States Coastal Survey of the City and Harbor of Rockland,Maine. It is hand colored and highly detailed with streets and roads,wharves,topography,foliation,water depths,and property boundary lines!