Wake Wednesday 250 - Early Maps colonial and post-Revolutionary War era

The map mentioned in the Jumonville Glen post is so useful for visualizing population, location and proximity during colonial times, I wanted to give it its own searchable post. To distinguish from the earlier post, here is a close up of the North Carolina section. I have put a rough sketch of the modern borders in blue to help you get your bearings. Notice how wild it all is. 

There are only a few recognizable towns along the coast at this point.  I see Bath, Beaufort, and New Bern. There is no Wilmington, Halifax, or Hillsborough. There was definitely no Wake County or Raleigh yet. A town I have never hear of at all is also located at the coast. That would be Soroacte on this map, also called Sarecta the first charted town of Duplin County. At that time, Sarecta was a hamlet of ten houses. You can read about the town's early history here.

Open map to original size for best viewing
Excerpt from the 
Carte des possessions angloises & françoises
du continent de l'Amérique Septentrionale, c.1755
Source link -  see full image below
Outline source  - North Carolina State Outline Vectors by Vecteezy

The big three roads of the day are represented. The Kings Highway snakes along the coast. The Natuve Trading Path winds south diagonally from the Virginia line in a lazy S-shape that turns westward at the South Carolina border. The Great Wagon Road enters our state at the northern border at the Dan River just east of the native village of Saura Town. It travels nearly due south and crosses the Native Trading Path befor veering southeast to the coast. 

The rivers on this map are its best landmarks. Even so, I struggled to get perspective on just how a modern outline would fit over it. It the process of that struggle, I found another map that helped immensely. It was not much newer but there were enough recognizable town names and very close foot print to the NC borders of today. It helped me finally knit the 1775 Carte des Possessions map and the modern borders together.

Meet The State of North Carolina from the best Authorities by John Reid, c. 1796. What a difference a revolution and forty years makes. This map includes many recognizable counties, and familiar towns and roads have sprung up everywhere. You have to squint hard to see the remnants of the Native Treading Path, but it is there. There is even Wake County and Raleigh right where you want to see them at the ripe old age of 20 years. Have a look. The link will take you right to this stunning map. Enjoy all its great reference points. If you look just under Iredell County, you will see Fort Dobbs'  location referenced in the last post.

Open map to original size for best viewing
The State of North Carolina from the best Authorities by John Reid, 1796
Source link 

Here is the full view of the Carte des Possessions map. 

Source link - Be sure to expand to full screen for best viewing.

I am sure once you have had a chance to spend some quality time with your colonial ancestors and these maps, you will grow to appreciate them as much as I do. There are so many ways you can use them to inform and illustrate your research. Be sure to stash the links in your own research log for safe keeping. Enjoy!

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