The American Geographiced Society

The American Geographical Society is the oldest geo¬
graphical society in the United States. When it was
founded, in 1852, there were but twelve similar institu¬
tions in the world. Its collections contain an exception¬
ally large number of unique books and maps. Among its
gold medalists are the names of some of the world's most
distinguished explorers and geographers—Shackleton,
Scott, Amundsen, Mawson, Moreno and many others.
Quite recently Colonel Roosevelt and Maj. General
Goethals have been added to the list. Among its
fellows and honorary and corresponding membefs have
been Bayard Taylor, Sir Roderick Murchison and Gen¬
eral John C. Fremont; among its past presidents have
been George Bancroft, Henry Grinnell and Judge Charles
P. Daly.

The exhibition rooms contain a permanent exhibition
of ancient maps including facsimile reproductions of the
famous Cabot map of 1544; the Juan de la Cosa map of
1500 (glass transparency), which is the first known dated
map showing a part of the coast of America; and the
Hondius and Blaeu maps, dated 1611 and 1605, respec¬
tively. There is a temporary exhibition of .maps of cur¬
rent interest, including maps of the war and economic
maps of the various countries. In addition, the map
collections on the third floor are rich in material of his¬
toric interest. The Mercator map of 1538 is one of the
most striking examples. It is the first map ever published
that bears the names of both North and South America.
Only one other copy of this map is known. A photo¬
graphic reproduction of a map published by Waldsee-
miiller in 1507 hangs on the south wall of the exhibition
hall. This is the largest engraved map of its time and
the first on which the name America ever appeared.
Though inaccurate in many of its details it is remark¬
able for the geographical knowledge which it records
within fifteen years after the first trans-Atlantic voyage

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