This is an image I composed and then captured using my MacBook Pro’s screenshot capabilities. See what’s the same and what’s different. The map on the right is the Official map of the State of California. by Eddy, William M. from 1854 from the awesome David Rumsey collection. The left is the current Google Map of Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area.
It’s fascinating how all of the counties’ names are the same and that Antioch, San Jose and Livermores Ranch were there–but no Oakland or Fremont. Also see how the coast above the Golden Gate bridge (in San Rafael) has been reshaped in the past 150ish years. Here’s the link for the David Rumsey collection section with more old maps of the San Francisco Bay Area (some going back to 1797). Here’s another look from 1953 (left is closeup, right is file page):
Inspirational Quote:
“The David Rumsey Collection was started nearly 20 years ago, and focuses primarily on cartography of the Americas from the 18th and 19th centuries, but also has maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, globes, school geographies, books, maritime charts, and a variety of separate maps, including pocket, wall, children’s and manuscript.”
