1860 map

One of the most frequently used items in the Henney History Room of the Conway Public Library is an 1860 map of Carroll County, New Hampshire. The map is most commonly used for family history research as it lists the names and locations of families in 1860 (as well as schools, mills, shops, etc.). Taken together with the census of the same year, as well as comparisons with earlier and later maps, especially the 1892 atlas and the 1896 bird’s eye views of Conway, this map can yield a treasure trove of historical information on regional family history.

The map is also one of the largest and most visually impressive items in the collection at fifty-five inches square (not counting the wooden top molding and bottom rod). It is beautifully rendered, hand colored, and includes a number of illustrated cartouches, insets and ancillary maps of villages showing great detail.

These map details can be found on the Henney History Room section of the Conway Public Library website. You can use keywords such as “covered bridge” or “conway school” to bring up photos of buildings and structures shown on the map.

Recently the 1860 map has played a key role in several elementary school outreach programs and will be featured at the 250th Celebration Education Fair at the Pine Tree School on May 16th. One class is using the information on the map as the basis for a walking tour of Conway Village and to build a scale model of the historic buildings in town. Another class is creating a sustainability map on the internet showing the location of key resources, energy sources, uses of water power, etc. A third group is using it to explore the history of logging and wood products in town.

For more information contact the Henney History Room of the Conway Public Library at 603-447-5552 or visit our website at www.conwaypubliclibrary.org.