Beginnings

Researchers starting a new project to find information about the built environment in New Orleans should consult Wayne Everard's guide, written in 1986, but no less helpful today than it was over twenty years ago. At the time he was writing, Wayne was a reference archivist at the New Orleans Public Library and his step-by-step online booklet provides a strong foundation to the research process.

For those interested in historic Geographic Information Systems (GIS) documentation, I would recommend:

Electronic

Robinson's Atlas, 1883
Provided by the courtesy of the New Orleans Notarial Archives.

Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970
Subscription-based database available to Tulane University faculty, staff, and students. For TU-affiliates who are trying to access the database from off-campus, click here for instructions.

Library of Congress's Map Collections
Digitized versions of some of the national library's 4.5 million maps, searchable by keyword, geographic location, creator, title, or subject.

Louisiana State Museum Map Database, 1709-2003
Digitized versions of some of the Louisiana State Museum's cartographic holdings.

Photographic

New Orleans District Aerial Photograph Index
Maintained by the New Orleans District Corps of Engineers and managed by Edwin Betbeze.

Graphic

These repositories maintain holdings of historic printed maps of New Orleans and Louisiana:

Louisiana Collection, Special Collections Division, Tulane University Libraries

The Historic New Orleans Collection

The Louisiana Map Collection, New Orleans Public Library

The Louisiana State Museum

Louisiana Collection, Louisiana and Special Collections Department, University of New Orleans
Maps are cataloged in iLink at University of New Orleans. Researchers may limit search by cataloging record format "MAP."