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MAPS AND LEGENDS

A brief feature in the April issue of Wired introduces David Rumsey, who has spent twenty years accumulating 150,000 original maps, charts, and related cartographic representations of North America and South America produced during the 18th and 19th centuries. For Rumsey, "Maps are the ultimate eye candy." A visit to his stunning website does much to bolster that contention. Digitized in partnership with Luna Imaging, the growing online collection presently consists of over 2,300 images, chosen to reflect the breadth and depth of Rumsey's physical collection as a whole. Rare and fragile cartographic materials are electronically available to scholars and the public, accompanied by comprehensive notes on each image and a highly sophisticated "workspace" that allows users to enlarge, reduce, compare, and otherwise manipulate elements of the collection. The site is brilliant in concept and execution, a visual and intellectual tour de force.

Sun, 23 Apr 2000 06:50:19 -0700

Submitted by: Lois Ambash