1912 Kauffman Map of Atlanta, Georgia

This is the 1912 O. F. Kauffman map of Atlanta, Georgia, the earliest obtainable detailed map of that city. The map emerged during a period of growth and urbanization as Atlanta transformed into a manufacturing and transport hub. It is also significant for its delineation, for one of the first times on a commercial map, Atlanta's many historically black schools and universities.

A Closer Look

The map is centered on Union Depot, underscoring Atlanta's origins as a railroad town. Circles radiate from the center in roughly half-mile intervals. Streets, businesses, schools, parks, large private estates, and more are labeled. This map incorporates many new development surveys compiled between 1906 and 1911, including Druid Hills, Edgewood, Ansley Park, West End, Battle Hill, Oakland City, Pillsbury, Bellwood, and others. A comprehensive street index occupies the lower right, while the upper right lists public schools, includes a digest of municipal notes, and names city offices, including salaries (the Construction Chief, at 4,000 USD /year, roughly 130,000 USD today, is the most highly paid .)

Mapping African American Education in Atlanta

In the early 20th-century, Atlanta was a significant center for African American education and intellectual thought, thanks to its historically black colleges and the efforts of the African American community to establish and maintain educational institutions. This map marks several important African American schools and colleges, herein named for the first time on a commercial map, including Atlanta University (Atlanta Clark), the first historically black college in the southern United States; Spelman Seminary College, the oldest private historically black liberal arts institution for women; and Morris Brown College, the first educational institution in Georgia to be owned and operated entirely by African Americans. Morehouse, located in West End, is slightly outside of the scope of this map.

Historical Context: Mapping of Atlanta

In terms of the historical mapping of Atlanta, we note only few earlier maps. The earliest is the original 1853 subdivision map for the Atlanta City Council. This was followed by several small-scale maps published in the 1870s for Hanleiter's Directory of Atlanta. The city council published a new map in 1877. Atlanta went through a period of rapid expansion in the early 20th century, with numerous new suburban developments, many surveyed by Kauffman. Nonetheless, we see no subsequent general maps until this map of 1912, which was followed by updated maps by Kauffman, his brother Ira, and Ira's sons, from 1921 to the 1940s.

Publication History and Census

This map was published in 1912 by Orrin Frederick Kauffman's firm, O.F. Kauffman and Brother. It is rare and has no market history, although we do see examples at the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center and another example at the University of Georgia. We note latter editions of this map from the 1920s and 1930s, some published by Ira U. Kauffman. There are no other records of the present map, and this is the first time it has appeared on the private market.