Restoration of 1871 Canvas Map of Hudson

The Hudson Area Library needs your help to restore a unique map of the City of Hudson that dates back to 1871. Following its restoration, the map will be on display at the library and available digitally to the public as well as researchers.

Thanks to a generous donor, the History Room of the Hudson Area Library recently acquired this map, which measures 4' x 5' and features 19 line drawings of prominent buildings. It’s current condition is legible but extremely fragile. 

Text on map: “Map of the City of Hudson N.Y.,” published by J. H. Lant, surveyed by Sherman Van Ness, drawn by Alex S. Rowley, engraved and printed by H.J. Toudy & Co. Steam Lith. 529 Chestnut St. Phil. 

The map is now at the Northeast Document Conservation Center awaiting treatment to clean and stabilize the document. The treatment plan involves removing the old varnish in a solvent bath; additional treatment to reduce staining, discoloration, and acidity; and replacing the damaged existing linen cloth backing with new Japanese paper and cloth backing which provides stability. Tears and voids in the map will be aligned and in-painted as well. Due to the large size of the map, this is an expensive conservation treatment.

A high resolution copy of the map will be made and displayed at the library. The original will be protected and stored in the appropriate archival manner, and will be available for access or display on special occasions.

The restored map, which shows the boundaries of the original four wards of Hudson, will be the centerpiece of our upcoming 2020 exhibition, The History of the Census in Hudson, which explores population counts in Hudson from Dutch colonial times to present. The exhibit will also include original handwritten 1845 New York State Census books of the four wards of Hudson and information on the 2020 Census. At the conclusion of the exhibit, a copy of the 1871 map will be displayed in the library for the enjoyment of one and all.

Thanks in advance for your contribution to this valuable preservation project.

The Hudson Area Library enriches the quality of life by providing free and equal access to programs, services, and resources, and by creating opportunities for all members of their community to connect, create, learn, and grow. The primary mission of the Hudson Area Library’s History Room is to acquire and preserve holdings regarding the history and culture of the library’s service area including Hudson, Greenport, and Stockport, and their residents as well as to maintain, preserve, and protect the collection in a secure, conservation-quality repository while providing access to its holdings.