Philadelphia Maps and Mapmakers with Christopher Lane

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September 29th, 2026, at 5:30 PM | In-Person at the Library Company of Philadelphia

From its earliest days, Philadelphia was one of the leading American cities, growing from a small “green country towne” to one of the greatest urban centers in the world.  It was also, from the late 18^th century into the 20^th century, a major center of American mapmaking.  Not surprisingly, Philadelphia’s cartographers all made maps of their home base.  The combination of a great city and important mapmakers produced a series of remarkable maps of Philadelphia.  This lecture will examine how these cartographic images illustrate the history both of the city and of this important industry.

Christopher W. Lane has been in the print and map business for over four decades, as founder and co-owner of The Philadelphia Print Shop in Chestnut Hill and then The Philadelphia Print Shop West in Denver.  He is now a private appraiser, consultant, author and lecturer.  Chris has come to be recognized as one of the country’s experts in this field, as evidenced by his 22-year stint as print and map expert on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow.  Chris has curated museum exhibitions and lectured around the country and overseas.  He has written several books, including the Ewell Newman Award-winning Panorama of Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2008). He has also written numerous articles in books and magazines, including “Philadelphia Mapmakers and the Beginnings of Commercial Mapmaking in America,” in Pennsylvania Legacies.