map-fun

I am a huge fan of old maps.

When my little classroom of two (#1 Son and #1 Daughter) was researching the history of our present home (a circa 1830 brick farmhouse), we had to drive over to the county court house and politely ask to see the old maps that were kept in a special file. It was well worth the thirty-minute drive! But I have discovered a great online site where I can view old maps of Madrid from the comfort of my living room couch.

On this 1852 map, you can view the home of "J. Whitney", marked as number 45. For those who find those tiny numbers as hard to decipher as I did, look for the property north of the bridge on the right side of the main road. Just before it is the original grist mill, which is now gone. Our garage stands there presently, and rumor has it that the monstrous fireplace added to the back wing of our old stone home was fashioned from the reclaimed stone. Here is an old photo of that mill. Scroll down for an interior view. (What ever happened to the "Happy Miller"?)

Here on the 1865 map, you can plainly see our old stone home labeled "Grist Mill Douglass".
I don't know why it is not labeled as a dwelling on the later map, but with a little research, we hope to find out!