About The Collection

The PALMM World Map Collection reflects the several contributing collections from which its holdings are drawn. This digital collection endeavors to provide access to a geographically varied set of maps and plans. It is strongest in Florida, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Florida

Florida Maps document a wide range of topics from topography to political divisions, from geology to hydrology and even to oil fields and spawning grounds. The maps define fire, flood, and hurricane risk and outline modes of transportation, from railway to interstate, even scenic highways and waterways have their place as do parks and other special-use places.

Caribbean Basin

Florida's history is as much that of a Caribbean state as a contitutent of the United States of America. A vast area, the Basin stretches from the Gulf Coast waters of the United States of America,embracing the Caribbean Sea and the sieve of Atlantic hurricanes. Maps of this region document trade routes, the colonial past, and a multi-cultural West Indian heritage.

Africa

These maps document, if not the African diaspora, the Africa as found by European slave-traders and colonizers. Ancient kingdoms can be seen mapped along-side European territorial claims.

The World

To many, representation of the rest of the world as seen through the PALMM World Map Collection will appear scant. The maps available beyond Florida, the Caribbean Basin and Africa usually bare direct relation to one of these three. Others represent maps of particular importance or value. Among these maps, digitization is as much "about preservation" as providing access.

Path Finders

The following Path Finders,segments of the collection organized by geography, are separately described and available for searching independent of other maps in the collection.