Historic 1814 Lewis and Clark Map on Google Earth

Google Earth uses satellite images with map features and a search function to allow viewers to access the world's geography as seen from space. It is available as a free service from Google. Sixteen historical maps from the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection were added to Google Earth in November, 2006. To see the historical maps layer, the latest version of Google Earth is needed. A free software download is available at Google Earth. The historical maps are found in the Featured Content section of the Layers.

(Top Image) The 1814 Lewis and Clark Map from the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection superimposed on the North American continent in Google Earth

You can zoom right in and easily read all the notations in the historical map. What is even more fascinating is that you can search for any modern location on the basic Google Earth map made from satellite images with added map features, and it will be pinpointed on the historic map. The area of modern day Butte, Montana is shown here with William Clark's notation "Oat-la-shoot 430 souls." Nearby is Ordway River and Pryor's Creek. You can hide the historic map layer and search the Google Earth satellite image map to compare features. (To show the location of Butte, Montana an additional name tag was added to this screen shot.)

The historic map was first published in the History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, the first publication of the Lewis and Clark Journals in 1814. The edition, known as the "Biddle Edition" may be seen at the Library of Congress's American Memory website in the collection of historical materials called "The First American West: the Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820."

(Bottom Image) The location of Butte, Montana shown on the 1814 Lewis and Clark Map from the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection in Google Earth

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