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Four scholars who pursue new and exciting directions in the study of the mapping of early America (pre-1840) will explore the contributions of map studies to history and historical geography. There will be generous opportunities for discussion and conversation, as well as for taking guided tours of the library’s new facilities. The speakers are:
Jean-François Palomino. Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec; co-author of La mesure d’un continent / Mapping a Continent (Sillery, Québec, 2007).
William Gustav Gartner. Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin–Madison; author of “Mapmaking in the Central Andes” in The History of Cartography vol. 2.3 (Chicago, 1998).
Max Edelson. Department of History, University of Virginia; author of Plantation Enterprise in Colonial South Carolina (Harvard, 2006).
Lina Del Castillo. Department of History, Iowa State University; author of “The Science of Nation Building: A History of Geographic Sciences in Colombia, 1821–1921” (University of Miami, 2007).
The conference is part of the larger celebration of the reopening of USM's Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education after its reconstruction and expansion. Other events include a public lecture (TBA) and reception on the evening of October 16th, and an open-house and ribbon-cutting on the afternoon of October 18th. In conjunction with these events, the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education will also install an exhibition, “American Treasures.”
The conference is also the inaugural meeting of the biennial Maine Forum for Map History.
The conference will be held on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine, in the university’s Abromson Center and Glickman Library, as well as in the Osher Map Library.
Registration: $75.00. Registration before August 15th is encouraged! A link to a secure server for registration is available at http://www.usm.maine.edu/maps
Accommodation: A small number of rooms are available at a reduced rate of $139/night per room (sleeps 1-4 people) from the Eastland Hotel, Portland; call 207.775.5411 and cite “Osher Map Conference,” before 15 September. Portland has many other hotels, although participants should note that this is a busy time of year.
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