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I do not normally post entire newspaper articles, preferring to give
extracts and leave you to pick up the full text if you want it from the
given link.
I hope I will be excused on this occasion because this touches on an issue
that surely unites us, namely that maps containing original information need
to be appreciated for the historical value of what is often a unique record.
------------------------------
Very rare 1859 Michigan wall-map possibly not thought worth preserving
August 30. <
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/08/map_may_be_doomed.html >
'Map from 1859 may be doomed' (by Dean Bohn in the Flint Journal).
The entire text of a worrying article about what is clearly an
important wall-map of two Michigan counties in 1859, apparently known in
only one other example, which, according to the article, is not in the
Library of Congress [though this is not clear]. The amount of money
estimated for its restoration does not sound excessive. The fact that it was
previously owned by the founder of the community which now holds it is
surely an important factor:
'Who needs Mapquest or a Global Positioning System when you have a
cloth map from 1859? However, the 150-year-old map is in rough shape, and
members of the Swartz Creek Area Historical Society wonder if it's worth the
cost to recondition it. "In my opinion, it'll cost $3,000 to $5,000 - or
more - to restore it, and I really don't think it's worth it for that kind
of money," said Bill Morgan, founder and president of the historical
society. Morgan and society vice president John Simor on Tuesday morning
unrolled the map in the historical room of the Swartz Creek city hall where
it is stored. The unrolling of the map - which measures 64 x 58 inches (5.33
x 4.83 feet) [i.e. 163 x 147 cm] - is infrequent because of its poor
condition.
'The chain of ownership of the map is not certain. The map states:
"Map of the Counties of Genesee & Shiawassee by Geil & Jones Topographical
Engineers, Philadelphia" and "1859." "We believe the Calkins family bought
it for the township hall, although the township hall wasn't built until
1878," Morgan said. "Caleb Calkins was the original settler in Clayton
Township, when it was still a part of Flushing Township for the first 10
years. The Calkins School was named after his son, Edmund Calkins. Calkins
Road is named for the family," he said. After many years, the map came into
the possession of Calkins, descendant Beulah Hansen, who stored it in her
attic. It was likely there for decades, said John Simor, vice president of
the historical society. In 2005, Hansen donated the map to the society.
Hansen, 89, is in fragile health.
'The map - consisting of an oil-cloth backing and a paper map matted
on the front - has water stains and is breaking apart. "Storage in the
attic, where it went through summer heat and winter cold, is the reason it's
in such atrocious condition," Morgan said. "I don't think it'll make another
100 years," Morgan said. "There's one just like it in the Buick Gallery at
the Sloan Museum," Morgan said. "These are the only two we know to exist."
Another, a copy, is in Owosso.
'"Members of the Shiawassee County Historical Society bought a replica
from the Library of Congress, a smaller version, but they took it to Lansing
to have it enlarged," Morgan said. "I think that's what we need to do, so we
can hang it up at the Clayton Township Hall." Morgan said he did contact a
document restoration company in Pennsylvania to inquire about restoring the
map, but the company wouldn't give him a quote unless Morgan sent them the
map so they could examine it. At day's end, Morgan and Simor carefully
rolled up the map once more. "Roll it careful, buddy," Morgan said. "It
could be 50 years before it's unrolled again."
Tony Campbell
[email protected]
** from 'Latest News'
http://www.maphistory.info/newslatest.html
[Note. Most news entries are NOT posted to MapHist]
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