1940 Southard Set of Three Maps of Brooklyn, New York

These are three Frank Randolph Southard pictorial maps of Brooklyn, New York. Each of the three maps depicts roughly the same geographic area, from Manhattan and the East River to the Atlantic Ocean and from The Narrows and New York Bay to Jamaica Bay.

The first of the three maps, Brooklyn 1636 – 1776, illustrates the region as it was during these 150 years. The villages of Brooklyn (Breukelen), Flatbush (Midwout), New Lots (Oostwout), Bushwick (Boswyck), Greenpoint, Red Hook, New Utrecht, and Gravesend are all labeled. Each of the villages is depicted with its own vignette, most of which include dwellings of some wort. The illustration for Flatlands even includes a windmill! Coney Island is labeled as well. Sailing ships of varying size are illustrated in the waters around Brooklyn, with a smaller boat included in Jamaica Bay.

The second map in this collection, entitled Brooklyn 1865 – Today is much more detailed than the first, illustrating the progress made between 1636 and 1940. Modern technology is present throughout the map, most notably the multi-engine aircraft situated in the upper right corner, just below the title. By this time the five boroughs had been consolidated, and the individual villages that were labeled in the first map have now become neighborhoods in the borough of Brooklyn. Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Flatbush, New Lots, Flatlands, New Utrecht, and Gravesend are all labeled, some of which include dates below their names, indicating the year they were annexed by Brooklyn. Prospect Park is depicted, along with the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges. The Brooklyn Academy of Music is also illustrated, as well as Greenwood Cemetery and Fort Hamilton. The Long Island Railroad is depicted heading out of town, near New Utrecht. The Navy Yard, and what is probably a battleship, are discernable along the East River, with piers lining the East River in Brooklyn and the Hudson River along Manhattan. Jamaica Bay, Sheepshead Bay, and Coney Island are labeled. The Statue of Liberty and Governors Island are depicted in New York Harbor, and modern steamships are illustrated all around Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The third and final map in the set illustrates the expansion of Brooklyn from Brooklyn Village, which, per the map, was initially divided into Bedford, Gowanus, Brooklyn Village, and Cripplebush and did not become the City of Brooklyn until 1834. From there, Williamsburg (founded 1840 annexed 1855), Bushwick (annexed 1855) New Lots (annexed 1886), Flatbush (annexed 1894), Flatlands (Annexed 1896), Gravesend (Annexed 1894), and New Utrecht (annexed 1894) are labeled. Small vignettes are used to illustrate some of the annexed villages, along with an illustration of a train and a surveying team in the upper right corner, and a fisherman in Gravesend.

These three maps were created by Frank Randolph Southard in 1940.