A mapp of New England - Public domain vintage map

A foundation in the early history of the mapping of New England, this map is the first printed version of William Reed's original survey of 1665. The survey was commissioned by Massachusetts authorities to support the colonial boundaries as described in the first Massachusetts Charter of 1628. As originally proposed, the northern boundary was located thirty miles north of the Merrimack River, assuming the river followed an east-west course. When it was later discovered that inland the Merrimack River turned north, Massachusetts colonists aggressively claimed lands thirty miles north of the river's source, an area also claimed by New Hampshire. The survey is the earliest to depict the relative position of the Hudson, Connecticut and Merrimack rivers. Also identified on the map are several towns that had beendestroyed by Indians during the early months of King Philip's War.
Courtesy of Private Collection