Maps of Kentucky are a great resource to help learn about a place at a particular point in time. Old Kentucky maps are effective sources of geographical information and useful for historical, genealogical and territorial research.

Our collection of Kentucky maps includes many different historic and modern types of maps. The maps date from the 00th century to the present and include:

State Map of Kentucky County Boundaries and County Seats
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State Map of Kentucky County Boundaries and County Seats
  • Kentucky Township maps, including maps showing the progress of the original government surveys
  • Kentucky Road, Highway and railroad maps
  • Kentucky Maps showing the state’s geological features
  • Kentucky timeline of county boundaries changes
  • Kentucky Military maps
  • Kentucky Maps of specific towns, counties and bodies of water
  • Territorial era maps of Kentucky
  • Bird’s eye views of Kentucky cities and towns

Historical Maps of Kentucky are a great resource to help learn about a place at a particular point in time. Kentucky Maps are vital historical evidence but must be interpreted cautiously and carefully.

Kentucky Map Collections

There is a large collection of 1784 to 1818 Kentucky maps available at the Kentucky Libraries and Archives. That collection also includes Kentucky maps from both the late 1800s and early 1900s, however, most of them are unprocessed and not properly organized or indexed.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Maps and Publications Office has a large atlas and map collection, which researchers can access.

The Filson Library, the Kentucky Historical Society and the University of Kentucky Library also have many maps of Kentucky, which are available to researchers. City, state, and county maps are all included in those collections.

Old Historical Atlas Maps of Kentucky

This Historical Kentucky Map Collection are from original copies. Most historical maps of Kentucky were published in atlases and spans over 000 years of growth for the state.

Some Kentucky maps years have cities, railroads, P.O. locations, township outlines, and other features useful to the Kentucky researcher.

Carey’s 1795 State Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title: 1795 State Map of Kentucky with the Adjoining Territories
  • Map Date: 1795
  • Map Locations: Kentucky
  • Map Description:  Important early map of Kentucky, showing primarily the region around the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers, from northern Georgia to Western Territory. Includes all of Kentucky, most of Tennessee, called South Western Territory and Tennessee Government.
  • Map Publication: Carey’s American Atlas: Containing Twenty Maps And One Chart
  • Map Notes: Uncolored
  • Map Type: National Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Mathew Carey (1760– 1839)

Arrowsmith’s 1804 Atlas Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title: The State Map of Kentucky
  • Map Date: 1804
  • Map Locations: Kentucky
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: A new and elegant general atlas, comprising all the new discoveries, to the present time.
  • Map Notes: Uncolored
  • Map Type: National Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1823) and Samuel Lewis (1754-1822)
1814 Map of Kentucky
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Carey’s 1814 State Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title: The State Map of Kentucky
  • Map Date: 1814
  • Map Locations: Kentucky
  • Map Description: Map covers the entire state noting counties and region in outline color. The map also notes rivers, creeks, towns, roads, mountains and a host of additional geographical features.
  • Map Publication: Carey’s General Atlas, Improved And Enlarged; Being A Collection Of Maps Of The World And Quarters, Their Principal Empires, Kingdoms, &c
  • Map Notes: Regions and counties in outline color.
  • Map Type: World Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Mathew Carey (1760 – 1839) and Isaac Lea
1822 Geographical, Historical and Statistical Map of Kentucky
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Carey’s 1822 Atlas Map Of Kentucky

  • Map Title: Geographical, Historical and Statistical Map of Kentucky
  • Map Date: 1822
  • Map Locations: Kentucky
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: A Complete Historical, Chronological, And Geographical American Atlas, Being A Guide To The History Of North And South America, And The West Indies … To The Year 1822.
  • Map Notes:
  • Map Type: National Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Henry Charles Carey & Isaac Lea
1827 Map of Kentucky and Tennessee
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Finley’s 1827 Map of Kentucky and Tennessee

  • Map Title: Map of the State of Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Map Date: 1827
  • Map Locations: Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: A New General Atlas, Comprising a Complete Set of Maps, representing the Grand Divisions of the Globe, Together with the several Empires, Kingdoms and States in the World; Compiled from the Best Authorities, and corrected by the Most Recent Discoveries, Philadelphia, 1827.
  • Map Notes: Relief shown by hachures. Prime meridian Washington. Statistical table for state.
  • Map Type: National Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Anthony Finley (1784 – 1836)

Tanner’s 1836 Antique Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title: Map of Kentucky
  • Map Date: 1836 (Entered 1833)
  • Map Locations: Kentucky
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: A New Universal Atlas Containing Maps of the various Empires, Kingdoms, States and Republics Of The World.
  • Map Notes: In full color by county
  • Map Type: World Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Henry Schenck Tanner (1786–1858)
1845 Map of Kentucky and Tennessee
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Morse’s 1845 Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title:  Map of Kentucky and Tennessee.
  • Map Date: 1842 (Entered 1842)
  • Map Locations: Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: Morse’s North American atlas. Containing the following beautifully colored maps
  • Map Notes:
  • Map Type: National Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Sidney Edwards Morse (1794-1871 ) and Samuel Breese (1802-1873)

Colton’s 1856 Map of Kentucky

  • Map Title:  Map of Kentucky And Tennessee
  • Map Date: 1856 (Entered 1855)
  • Map Locations: Kentucky And Tennessee
  • Map Description:
  • Map Notes: In full color by county.
  • Map Publication: Colton’s Atlas Of The World, Illustrating Physical And Political Geography.
  • Map Type: World Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800-1893)
1856 City Map of Louisville KY with City of New Orleans LA
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Colton’s 1856 City Map of Louisville KY with City of New Orleans LA

  • Map Date: 1856 (Entered 1855)
  • Map Locations: Cities of New Orleans, LA and Louisville, KY
  • Map Publication: Colton’s Atlas Of The World, Illustrating Physical And Political Geography.
  • Map Type: World Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800-1893)

Mitchell’s 1880 County Map of the State of Kentucky and Tennessee

  • Map Title:  State and County Map of Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Map Date: 1880 (Entered 1879)
  • Map Locations: Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Map Description:
  • Map Publication: Mitchell’s New General Atlas
  • Map Notes:
  • Map Type: World Atlas
  • Map Cartographer: Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. (1827-1901)

Map of Kentucky County Formations 1776-1939

This Interactive Map of Kentucky Counties show the historical boundaries, names, organization, and attachments of every county, extinct county and unsuccessful county proposal from the creation of the Kentucky territory in 1776 to 1939.

Kentucky County Maps of Road and Highway’s

The Kentucky Department of Transportation has prepared a series of 2018 county road maps free online. These Kentucky road maps contain more detailed information about man-made features than the geological survey maps.

The State Primary Road System maps are available for each county now, but they contain less detail. See the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s web site for more information.

In addition to roads and boundaries, these maps include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries. These Kentucky maps are Free to downloade are in PDF format.

External Kentucky Map Resources

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