The Connecticut Map Society is hosting a variety of cartography related events…
Saturday, September 22, 2 pm
Community Room
New Haven Free Public Library
133 Elm Street, New Haven CT 06510 203 946 8130 www.nhfpl.org
We are happy to offer you a talk about the intersection of art and cartography—we know there are artists among our members. Author, educator, and award-winning map illustrator John Roman describes imaginative maps as “the creative non-fiction of cartography.” In his talk, Roman will discuss his book “The Art of Illustrated Maps (Simon & Schuster, 2015); he will also show many of the illustrated maps he’s created for advertising and publishing during his career.
Roman has taught at Boston’s Massachusetts College of Art and Design since 1993, and has written articles for numerous publications, including The Concord Saunterer, a journal of Thoreau-related essays. Visit his website: https://www.johnromanillustration.com/.
Attention mapmakers, amateurs and professionals alike! If you make illustrated or artistic maps, bring one along to the talk. We will scatter your maps on tables as a casual exhibit for the event, providing others with an opportunity to see your work.
If you’re out-of-towners, leave time to visit The Yale Gallery, The Center for British Arts, The Peabody Museum of Natural Science, or the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
This event is free and open to the public. Bring your friends!
Saturday, October 20, 1 pm
Litchfield Historical Society
7 South Street, Litchfield CT 06759 (at the junction of routes 63, 118, and 202)
litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org; 860 567 4501
Litchfield is one of Connecticut’s most beautiful and historical towns, and there is no better time to visit than mid-autumn. Kate Zullo, Curator of Education at the Litchfield Historical Society, will show us treasures from the society’s map collection, which includes student maps from the early 19th century, town maps and surveys throughout Litchfield’s history, garden maps, and a Western Reserve map of New Connecticut. Leave time to visit all of the facilities which comprise the historical society: The Litchfield History Museum, the Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library, the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School, and the Tapping Reeve Meadow.
We urge you to make a day (or even a weekend!) of it—drive to Litchfield early, explore the town, and enjoy lunch at one of Litchfield’s great Main Street restaurants. The historical society sells a $2 map for a self-guided walking tour of the historic district’s homes and businesses. You can purchase one at the museum or download the free, digital version of the Walking Tour Brochure. (PDF, 3MB) And farther afield, Trip Advisor offers suggestions: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g33820-Activities-Litchfield_Connecticut.html.
There will be a modest fee (TBA) for the map tour, but the museums are free of charge. Because space for the map tour is limited, you’ll need to RSVP to our Connecticut Map Society email: ctmapsociety@gmail.com.
Friday, November 30th, 7 pm
Lyric Hall
827 Whalley Avenue
New Haven CT 06515
203 389 8885
We’re going to combine our second annual “Show & Tell” with a holiday party at an unusual venue. Lyric Hall, located in the Westville section of New Haven, began as a vaudeville and silent movie theater. In 2006, John Cavaliere purchased the dilapidated building and has restored it to its former gilded glory—read about the resurrection here: http://lyrichallnewhaven.com/about/.
Here’s how our “Show & Tell” works: 6 or 7 members of the Connecticut Map Society give talks of 10 minutes each about a map or set of maps they own or admire. Lyric Hall has an ornate little stage for our speakers. The rest of us will sit back, relax, and watch the show! Last year, each presentation led to lively interaction. We’ll serve appetizers and you can buy wine or beer at Lyric Hall’s cash bar.
Please RSVP if you’d like to attend. Let us know if you’d like to be a presenter—for that, first come, first served.
And there’s more! Here are two shows we recommend:
Connected to Mystic Seaport’s The Vikings Begin, which features ancient Viking artifacts, is an unusual exhibit called Science, Myth, and Mystery: The Vinland Map Saga, about Yale’s controversial Vinland Map (on temporary loan to the seaport). Both shows end on September 30th. At 5:30 pm on August 25th, curator Nicholas Bell will give a talk about the Vinland Map as part of an evening called Arts on the Quad: https://www.mysticseaport.org/event/arts-on-the-quad-penny-lane/. Learn the connection between Mystic Seaport’s Vinland Map exhibit and a Beatles tribute band!
Also, Portland, Maine’s wonderful Osher Map Library has an exhibit called Art of the Spheres: Picturing the Cosmos Since 1600, which closes on October 6th. Map nerds Connie and Maryann pilgrimaged to Portland recently to see the exhibit, pore over books in the Osher’s reference library, and wander around charming Portland. Information here: http://oshermaps.org/exhibitions/current-exhibition.