National Geographic is adding 500 of their classic maps to the Google public data archive. Basically, these are layers mapped onto Google’s existing map engine.  The press release contained two examples, but bizarrely, no link to the public gallery where the NattyG maps will eventually appear.

In some ways, this strikes me as a bit silly. but having access to these historical maps at all is a good thing, and it’s remarkable how accurate many of them were.

I like these vintage history maps. They are nice and information dense, and you can almost smell your old school when you look at them.

Below is the hard to find “Histomap of Religion” which recently sold online for $405.

Here’s the 1881 “Synchronological Chart of Universal History” which is one of the best chart titles of all time, and stretched 23 feet long.

Ok, it’s from 1885, but have things really changed much?

I came across this interesting map of 1888 horsedrawn streetcars in Washington DC:

Not entirely difference from the location accurate version of the modern subway map:

Of course, a more accurate comparison is probably to a modern bus map. but they are so busy:

DC is scheduled to re-introduce streetcars in 2013/14, starting with a small run along H Street SE.