Historic Maps

Many external sites have digital copies of maps available for personal use. These are not Delaware County websites, but are provided for information purposes. Please note that municipal boundaries have changed over time. Refer to the municipal genealogy chart for clarification on division dates.

The Delaware County Planning Department has an historic atlas collection available for public viewing at the County Archives and Records Center.

Digital Collections

Delaware County History- This website has a lot of information specific to Delaware County, including maps, tax records, census records, newspaper articles and photos split into municipalities. There are also topic-specific pages such as mills, transportation, covered bridges, WPA and more. https://delawarecountyhistory.com/

Free Library of Philadelphia- While primarily for Philadelphia, the Free Library has many maps that also cover Delaware County. Use the Search tool to find Delaware County. Includes 1809 Hills Map, 1946 maps and directories, Hexamer surveys of industries (mills/factories), Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps and other maps. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/collection/maps

Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network- Run by the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, it has a large number of maps in the Philadelphia area, including an interactive maps viewer of some maps geo-located to the current street grid. Use the Resource Browser to search by county or keyword. Some local historical societies have their collections on this website. https://www.philageohistory.org/geohistory/

Historic Map Works- A historic digital map database of North America and the world. Includes a lot of special maps like birdseye views, nautical charts and antiquarian maps. Some maps are name-searchable, which is useful for genealogy purposes, but nothing in Delaware County yet. Some maps are available for purchase. https://historicmapworks.com/

Library of Congress- The Digital Collections of the Library of Congress includes HABS/HAER Surveys, City/Town maps (look for PA- Philadelphia Region for Delaware County maps), and many other collections. https://www.loc.gov/collections/

Lower Merion Historical Society- Primarily for Montgomery County, it also includes antique maps that include Delaware County, and Main Line Atlases, which include Haverford and Radnor Townships in Delaware County through 1961. Use the ‘select page’ at the top of the page to choose. https://lowermerionhistory.org/

Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC)- The State Archives has an extensive collection of materials, including maps. The collection includes the 1816 Melish County map, 1850s-1870s County maps, copied Penn grant surveys, transportation maps, and more! Some information for Delaware County may be included in Chester County (pre 1789) so check both. The site also includes other map sites. https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Maps.aspx

Penn State Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps- Sanborn Fire Insurance Company did detailed surveys of some areas 1884-1930, particularly the heavily populated areas in the south and east of the county. The list is organized by town (sometimes municipality) but also there is a Delaware County list and an interactive Delaware County Index map.  https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/sanborn-fire-insurance-maps

Aerial Maps

Delaware County Aerial Imagery Viewer- Available 2000-2022. https://dcpd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=50201a369bc74e4f92d845a7d265d7d1

Historic Aerials- Available 1950s-2020, you can overlay a current street map and see changes over time. https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

Penn Pilot- Available 1937-1995. Use the layers to select the dates you want. Images need to be downloaded. https://datacommons.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=10af5f75f9f94f01866359ba398cb6a9

Local Map and Atlas Collections

Several local historical societies have maps and atlases in their collections but are not available online. Check with your local historical society to make an appointment.

Delaware County Historical Society- https://www.padelcohistory.org/maps

Delaware County Archives and Records Center (DCPD Collection)- https://delcopa.gov/departments/archives.html

1882 Early Land Grants and Patents (by municipality, showing ownership 1682-1720) by Smith
1862 Map of the Early Settlements (county-wide) by Smith
1683 Delaware County Map by Ashcom
1687 A Mapp of the Improved Part of Pensilvania in America, Divided into Countyes, Townships and Lotts by Holme
Early Roads and Trails (drawn in 1990s)
1752 Early map of Springfield by John Morton
1798 Middletown Township (redrawn in 1980s)
1826 Mill Sites of Delaware County (drawn in 1994)
1828 Thomas Leiper’s Railway, 1808-1828
1848 Map of Delaware County by Ash
1870 Atlas of Delaware County by Hopkins
1875 Map of Delaware County by Lee
1882 Atlas of the Properties along the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad
1902 Baist's Atlas of properties in Southwest Suburbs of Philadelphia
1909 Atlas of Delaware County: East of Ridley Creek by A .H. Mueller
1913 Atlas of Delaware County: West of Ridley Creek by A .H. Mueller
1920s with later additions Sanborn Maps of Delaware County
1934 Map of Delaware County West of Crum Creek by Franklin Survey Map Co.
1942 Map of Upper Darby & Vicinity by Franklin Survey Map Co.
1947 Property Atlas of the Main Line, Penna. by Franklin Survey Map Co.
1961 Atlas of the Main Line by Franklin Survey Map Co.
1965-1985 Chester Volume 1 and Chester Volume 2, Sanborn Fire Insurance Company

Find out about other historical records on our Historic Research Page.

Questions about Historic Maps? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.

To make an appointment to view the historic atlas collection, contact the Archives and Records Center at 610-891-5620 or archives@co.delaware.pa.us.