A hand-drawn Buffalo street map that dates back to 1813 has been preserved.The 26 x 20" map was discovered in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library's collection. Library director Mary Jean Jakubowski says Charles North created the map of what was once known as the Village of Buffalo.
"This is shortly before Buffalo was burned [in December 1813] and a lot of records were lost during that time," says Jakubowski.
The library used grant dollars for the restoration. The map was drawn in black ink, showing several blocks of Buffalo streets including Main, Church, Court, Washington, Franklin, Chippewa, and Exchange.
"We can see and have an idea of where the library itself was subsequently built. We can see one of the original courthouse locations," Jakubowski says.
The Library says the map also shows the locations of the homes and businesses of some of Buffalo’s earliest settlers, including Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, Ebenezer Walden and Seth Grosvenor, all of whom became prominent figures in the village’s development.
The public will be able to view map this December at the Library to commemorate the "Burning of Buffalo."