Why cadastral maps matter

By Nancy Battick

Today, few people rely on physical maps to navigate. Our ancestors did not have the luxury of digital maps or GPS. Paper maps were the only way to get from here to there if you were unfamiliar with the route. 

Maps may not be fashionable anymore, but for genealogists and historians, maps can be valuable resources, and among them, cadastral maps are perhaps the most informative.

What is a cadastral map? The term comes from “cadastre,” meaning a comprehensive record of real estate or real property boundaries. It sounds boring, but trust me, it isn’t. 

Today, these maps help determine taxes, land ownership claims, land value, mortgage ownership, zoning and planning, and are also used for other purposes. Your local tax assessor uses a cadastral map.

For genealogists, cadastral maps are valuable because they can reveal ancestral land holdings, property boundaries and neighbors’ names in an easy-to-view format. 

Here in Maine, the Colby atlases are among the best genealogical resources available. Created in the late 19th century, they show counties, towns and cities in detail. I found several intact editions for sale on antique book sites, with prices approaching $500 each. Complete atlases are rare because many have been taken apart and sold as individual maps.

I once purchased a map of Atkinson, from an antique dealer who had disassembled a Colby atlas. I was interested because the map detailed where my maternal great-grandparents lived and where my grandmother grew up. I’d heard family stories about the family farm and the woodlot. Now I had a birds’-eye view.

I was delighted to see the location of the farm and the nearby woodlot they owned. I also recognized the names of several neighboring families. Many daughters of my great-grandparents and sisters of my great-grandfather married local men who lived nearby. The map made it easy to see where schools and churches were located and how proximity likely encouraged courtships. Reading a deed wouldn’t have been the same at all.

Where can you find cadastral maps? Check out libraries, including the Maine State Library in Augusta. You’ll sometimes find atlases in area or local historical societies. You can also find Maine Colby atlas maps online at digitalmaine.com/atlas. 

For maps of the West, federal land holdings or Native American reservations, try the Bureau of Land Management’s website at www.blm.gov.

Cadastral maps of other states, Native American holdings and even foreign countries exist and are being updated. A casual Google search presented dozens of options. Digital Maine also offers documents about Maine from the atlases. You can print out these reports if you like. They offer snapshots of Maine industries, history, agriculture, principal businesses and professional men of the state at the time of the original publishing. 

The nice thing is you don’t have to leave home to do this, which is always a plus.

If you haven’t already done this, check out cadastral maps. They offer a great glimpse of history, and they can give you a better understanding of ancestral land holdings.

Columnist Nancy Battick of Dover-Foxcroft has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society, author of several genealogical articles and co-transcribed the Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft. Nancy holds an MA in History from UM. Reader emails are welcome at nbattick@roadrunner.com.