Help me find prints/maps of each of the cities I've lived in!

March 5, 2008 10:11 PM

I'd like to hang prints or drawings or funky maps of each city I've lived in on a wall. I'm wondering what your favorite Philadelphia, NYC, DC, Hartford CT, Rochester NY, and Chicago maps/prints are, or sources for finding eclectic drawings/photos/prints of each one. (The more varied, the better! Old, new, letterpressed...you name it!)
posted by melodykramer to grab bag (15 comments total)

ork posters are rad and hip right now.they've got nyc and chicago right now.

http://orkposters.com/
posted by sacho at 10:44 PM on March 5, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

For NYC, how about an old subway map? Someone's been making prints of a nice old one from 1956 (I think); I've seen 'em in a few stores. I can't seem to find it online, but it's very similar to this one from 1951.
posted by equalpants at 12:31 AM on March 6, 2008

...still can't find the one I'm thinking of, but the NYC Transit Museum has a few (expensive) prints of maps from different eras.
posted by equalpants at 12:38 AM on March 6, 2008

I used to collect subway maps of the cities I'd visited. I always loved their spare, functional designs.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:55 AM on March 6, 2008

Saul Steinberg prints! (for NYC, at least..)
posted by cowbellemoo at 6:26 AM on March 6, 2008

For funky maps of Rochester, you might have the good luck browsing ebay auctions. When I was growing up in the 70s/80s there were some neat cartoon style map/posters of Rochester, but the only place I've seen those since is on the wall at Hogan's Hideaway on Park Ave. You could also order a USGS (US Geological Survey) topographic map of some of these places. This site has vintage topographic maps for a few states - and they've got a number of pretty high-res scans of them (for free) of the Rochester area. This satellite map poster of the Finger Lakes region (includes Rochester) might be of interest too.
posted by chr1sb0y at 6:40 AM on March 6, 2008

Ooh, great suggestions so far! I like the idea of old subway maps. For Philly, this could probably be a primative cross, if you don't count the trolleys.
posted by melodykramer at 6:46 AM on March 6, 2008

For some funky and cheap reprinted maps of NYC and Chicago, check out Nu-Vue Studios. I think they are actually made for gift wrap, but I have their Chicago poster hanging on my wall and it looks great.
posted by swizzlepants at 7:24 AM on March 6, 2008

davidrumsey.com - for a more DIY approach.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:20 AM on March 6, 2008

For New York: Newyorkistan
posted by hhc5 at 8:42 AM on March 6, 2008

I really like Chicago neighborhoods poster at Ork Posters. There's one for Brooklyn and one for Manhattan, too.

I'm planning on getting one really soon ... once I decide on a color!

On preview, sacho got it.
posted by poq at 8:51 AM on March 6, 2008

A useful term might be "romance map"; I believe this is the term for maps with little drawn pictures of local landmarks at the spot on the map where the landmark is (eg here's one of rochester). (Googling with that term isn't turning up as much as I expected, so possibly this was just a series that covered NY state or something)
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:58 AM on March 6, 2008

the vignelli subway map
posted by pinto at 11:34 AM on March 6, 2008

I haven't looked around for these cities in particular, but you might want to try the US Geological Survey. You can buy some very cool maps that won't be your average topo or street map (I found out about them when someone gave me a map of all the earthquakes in the SF area from 1970-2006, for instance). A little hard to navigate but may yield some gems.
posted by andifsohow at 1:04 PM on March 6, 2008

Nthing the Ork Posters recommendations... I have the Chicago one. It's beautifully printed. Well worth the money.

If you feel like splurging a little you can get a limited edition, signed and numbered version here that includes CTA "L" buttons too.
posted by wfrgms at 2:51 PM on March 6, 2008