Sign in

OpenHistoricalMap

@openhistoricalmap.org
586 followers 1.7K following 146 posts

Explore the world throughout time, mapped in minute detail by people like you & dedicated to the public domain. OHM is a charter project of @osmus.bsky.social and cousin of @openstreetmap.bsky.social. #oldmaps #dh #hgis www.openhistoricalmap.org

PostsRepliesMedia
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 26/09/2026
Excited to be at #WCNA #WikiConferenceNA in Edmonton this weekend. Find Minh (mxn) to hear about how OpenHistoricalMap can be a partner to #Wikipedia in the campaign against #recentism in the digital humanities.
A pile of stickers for OpenHistoricalMap, some showing a diff removing the text WP:RECENT, others saying it isn’t a real map if it doesn’t have a time slider. Nearby on the same table are stickers for the Internet Archive and some Edmonton postcards.
032
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
Copying from OSM is allowed in some cases, but it isn’t necessarily easier or better than mapping it from scratch with a focus on change over time: osm.wiki/OHM/FAQ#Can_...?
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/FAQ - OpenStreetMap Wiki
120
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
OHM strongly prefers contributions of public domain data. The #Statbel data is under CC BY, which OHM accepts for now under the principle that the database is a collective work, but we reserve the right to delete CC data in the future if we can find a less encumbered source: osm.wiki/OpenHistoric...
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Tags/Key/license - OpenStreetMap Wiki
100
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
As always, you can find these and more statistics on the wiki: osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics With the imports, we’ve outgrown #OverpassAPI for the sort of query that gathers these statistics. Fortunately, #QLever can handle it easily (after they doubled the memory they allocate to OHM).
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
010
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
Actually, that’s good news too: you and the 69 new contributors have a better starting point for adding historical data.
110
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
That’s the good news. The bad news is the influx of extant features has cut the average age of a dated element in half, to only 50 years, and the average year in OHM shifted from 1960 to 1992.
Graph of OpenHistoricalMap by represented time period in elements along the Y axis by date represented along the X axis. The graph shows exponential growth beginning in the 18th century going up to 7 million in the present day.
110
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
So what was the big jump in August all about? One of our contributors, flha127, has been busy importing Belgium’s local boundaries from #Statbel, buildings and roads in various French cities, and other open government data. We also cleaned up lots of bogus “9999” dates from before we adopted #EDTF.
Modern-day map of Belgium highlighting 29 million objects concentrated mostly in the southern half of Belgium.
110
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 23/09/2026
September is almost over and we didn’t post the statistics for August yet! Since the start of August, we added 3.9 million dated elements, more than doubling what we had before. That includes 1.6 million more buildings and 17,192¼ more railroad miles than we had before. #HockeyStick
Graph of OpenHistoricalMap coverage growth in number of dated elements along the Y axis by date accessed along the X axis. Steady linear growth from 1 million in May 2022 to 2.5 million in March 2026, followed by some spurts up to 3.5 million by July, then finally a spike in August and September up to 7.5 million.
182
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 26/08/2026
Looking forward to bringing our projects even closer together with the coordination that @osmus.bsky.social provides!
060
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
Katie McDonough @kmcdono.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
And wow all the funded projects are so interesting - nlnet.nl/news/2026/20...
nlnet.nl
NLnet; NLnet announces 60 projects strenghtening the digital commons
051
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 15/08/2026
We’re excited to partner with @oldinsurancemaps.net #MapReader #Allmaps to build this new pipeline for extracting information. Thanks to #NLnet for recognizing the potential in this big idea!
171
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 06/08/2026
Our main Historical map style is improving bit by bit! Graveyard names, airport codes, and a fix for streets that change names over time: forum.openhistoricalmap.org/t/openhistor... #FamilyHistory #AviationHistory
forum.openhistoricalmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap stylesheet updates
type=street rendering improvement type=street was overriding the ways it was on. So for example this residential street would have only rendered between 1905-1921 instead of from 1793. Cemetery ...
031
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 02/08/2026
In August, the #OpenHistoricalMap community added 55,017 dated elements, 12,693 buildings, and 18,888¾ railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by 2 months, and the average year shifted a fortnight later. All with the help of 28 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
020
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 30/07/2026
Intricate annotations on #OldInsuranceMaps lead to story after story. Emma Farahay recounts some of this local history from #Sandusky. openstreetmap.us/events/state... #StateOfTheMapUS
openstreetmap.us
Sanborn in Sandusky - A Search for Local Stories
After being inspired during Mapping USA by OpenHistoricalMap and OldInsuranceMaps.net, explore the history of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps in Sandusky, Ohio. How might these maps be used by local agenc...
031
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
Atlanta Studies @atlstudies.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Thanks to GSU historian Marni Davis’ new article and map, you can now take a step back in time to 1896 to explore the state of Atlanta's immigrant population long before Atlanta developed its reputation as a destination for newcomers. Check it out 👇 atlantastudies.org/2026/07/21/i...
098
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 27/07/2026
When you think of OHM, do you think of a blank map? There’s a ton of coverage hidden amid the vastness of time and space. Minh Nguyễn takes you on a tour of the tools for analyzing our open data and using it in your own projects. openstreetmap.us/events/state... #StateOfTheMapUS #HGIS #LinkedData
openstreetmap.us
History however you look at it
OpenHistoricalMap is more than a map. As an open data project, we want to help you discover and understand the wealth of information that mappers have contributed, whether or not it fits on the main r...
020
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 25/07/2026
You come across a back road with a grand name. What’s the story behind it? Where else did it used to go? Richard Welty shows how to find out more about something the Internet doesn’t know much about yet. openstreetmap.us/events/state... #StateOfTheMapUS #TransportationHistory #NewYorkStateHistory
openstreetmap.us
OHM: In Search of the Eastern Turnpike
The Eastern Turnpike operated between the areas of Albany NY and Williamstown MA from 1799 into the late 19th century. A private toll road, it was typical of the period. There were many such roads in ...
040
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
OpenStreetMap US @osmus.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Good news! Several presentation videos from #SOTMUS2026 are available on our YouTube channel. We hope the videos were worth the wait! 🔗 youtube.com/playlist?lis... #StateoftheMapUS #OpenStreetMap
youtube.com
State of the Map US 2026
OpenStreetMap US hosted the 14th annual State of the Map US conference on June 11–13, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin.
031
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 12/07/2026
Los estudiantes de cualquier país deben tener la oportunidad de descubrir la historia geográfica. @rub21.bsky.social presentó OHM como un recurso interactivo para el aula en el XIV Simposio de Enseñanza de la Geografía en México forum.openhistoricalmap.org/t/presentand... #CIGA #UNAM
forum.openhistoricalmap.org
Presentando OpenHistoricalMap en el XIV Simposio de Enseñanza de la Geografía en México
## Cómo me fue en el simposio Estuve en el XIV Simposio de Enseñanza de la Geografía en México, en el CIGA-UNAM. Fue un buen lugar para presentar OHM, porque ahí los profesores están preocupados por ...
000
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 03/07/2026
If you missed our fundraiser, we always welcome your regular season donations, not to mention your contributions to the map! openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com/forms/ohm
openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com
Invest in OpenHistoricalMap!
OpenHistoricalMap has the daunting (and awesome) mission of building the world’s most detailed out-of-date map. As a Charter Project of OpenStreetMap US, you can help sustain the development of OpenHi...
010
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 03/07/2026
With yesterday’s match, we hit our #OwnGoal and don’t feel bad about it at all. ⚽️ Thanks to the 35 wonderful individuals who contributed to our 2026 fundraising drive, affirming the value of mapping everything everywhere all at once!
110
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 02/07/2026
In June, the #OpenHistoricalMap community added 257,368 dated elements, 13,964 buildings, and 25,620 railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by 30 months, and the average year shifted 30 months later. All this with the help of 37 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
021
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 02/07/2026
Animated railway map within the former Kingdom of #Wurttemberg from 1845 to 2025, courtesy of Bauer33333 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:En...
commons.wikimedia.org
021
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/07/2026
Our 2026 #fundraiser ends today. Thanks to the dozens who’ve already given! A generous individual has offered to #DonationMatch any gift by the deadline (up to $500). Can you spare an impossibly long roll of quarters, or the modern electronic equivalent? openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com/forms/ohm-2026
openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com
OHM has big plans in MMXXVI...
and we need your help to get the ball rolling! OHM exists thanks to a devoted community of volunteers who care deeply about mapping history. Your generous donation will go directly toward making OHM e...
000
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 28/06/2026
Your donation will help us keep the project running and meeting the moment. Show the Internet that you believe in telling a fuller story of communities and places, together with other enthusiasts, one opening or closing at a time. Thank you for your generosity!
000
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 28/06/2026
Our fundraiser ends in a few days. We’re still a bit short of our modest goal. If you’ve been putting it off, please consider taking a moment to show your support. openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com/forms/ohm-2026 #donate #fundraiser
openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com
OHM has big plans in MMXXVI...
and we need your help to get the ball rolling! OHM exists thanks to a devoted community of volunteers who care deeply about mapping history. Your generous donation will go directly toward making OHM e...
111
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 20/06/2026
Hot off the heels of #SotMUS2026, we also have full historical coverage of I-90 in #Wisconsin thanks to @pilgerobst.bsky.social, as well as the highways around #SanAntonio thanks to Charlie Plett. The road map is starting to look a little less blank!
Map of Wisconsin showing the entire length of Interstate 90 from Beloit to La Crosse.Map of San Antonio showing Interstate 10/U.S. Route 87 and Interstate 37 going through the city, as well as the Interstate 410 Connally Loop.
010
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 20/06/2026
Our road mappers have been hard at work adding major highways throughout the United States. #Route66 is more or less fully mapped from 1926 to present between the Colorado River and Seligman, and several related routes are mapped too, thanks to Matthew Anderson. #SavingPlaces
Interstate 40 and U.S. Highways 66 and 93 around Kingman, Arizona.U.S. Highway 89 joins U.S. Highway 66 at a T junction near Ash Fork, Arizona.
162
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 20/06/2026
Three prolific contributors share how they got into historical mapping and offer tips for you to join them. Interested in boundaries or roads? Prefer to recreate old maps or transform written accounts into something more visual? There’s something for everyone to do! openstreetmap.us/news/2026/05...
openstreetmap.us
Mapper Highlight: OpenHistoricalMap(pers)
Browsing through openhistoricalmap.org is a personal tour of passion projects, obsessions, and areas of awe-inspiring expertise. The area of the map you’re looking at may appear sparse, save for a few...
040
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 05/06/2026
El 17 de junio nuestro desarollador @rub21.bsky.social va a presentar OpenHistoricalMap en el XIV Simposio de Enseñanza de la Geografía en México forum.openhistoricalmap.org/t/presentand... #CIGA #UNAM
forum.openhistoricalmap.org
000
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/06/2026
This is just one of many ways our mappers are improving quality even as the quantity surpasses our wildest imaginations. For more, check out @danvdk.bsky.social’s quality dashboard: ohmdash.pages.dev
ohmdash.pages.dev
OpenHistoricalMap Quality and Coverage Stats
010
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/06/2026
The average age dipped below a century for the first time since recordkeeping began (for us, anyway). Why is it falling? One reason: we often date features by comparing successive snapshots in time like maps and postcards. We’re migrating these guesstimates to #EDTF tags to avoid fudging the dates.
100
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/06/2026
In May, the #OpenHistoricalMap community added 105,036 dated elements, 13,301 buildings, and 88,230 railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by 9 months, and the average year shifted 5 months later. All this with the help of 35 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
osm.wiki
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
120
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
OpenStreetMap US @osmus.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Announcing the latest OSM US Charter Project: #Yesterdays "Yesterdays is a web-based tool for education, community engagement, and an accessible entry point into the world of #OpenStreetMap and #opendata..." Learn more in this blog post: openstreetmap.us/news/2026/05...
openstreetmap.us
Welcoming Yesterdays: The Newest OSM US Charter Project
OpenHistoricalMap and YouthMappers have a new Charter Project friend: Yesterdays!What is Yesterdays?Yesterdays is a website where volunteer contributors georeference historic images of their city,…
033
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
ASA DH Caucus @asadhcaucus.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
#ACH2026 is coming up soon! In Florida and want to engage with a regional community during the conference? Join the Digital Humanities Lab at University of Florida for watch parties, networking, and in-person student presentations!
022
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
State of the Map US @stateofthemapus.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
⌛️ There's still time to enter the #SOTMUS Narrative Map Competition, a worldwide call for geospatial storytelling that puts open data front & center. 📝Register by May 15 🗺️Submit your story by June 1 Learn more. state-of-the-map-us-story-map-competition-global-community.hub.arcgis.com #StoryMaps
021
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/05/2026
The #OpenHistoricalMap community in April added 137,660 dated elements, 106,732 buildings, and 37,220¼ railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by almost 2 years. The average year shifted 17 months later. All this with the help of 36 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
osm.wiki
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
043
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek @ddbkultur.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Jetzt online: Das Themenportal Rechte Gewalt! Es dokumentiert entsprechende Ereignisse in Deutschland & gibt einen Überblick über relevante Archivunterlagen. Ziel war es, Opfer und persönliches Umfeld in angemessener Form zu berücksichtigen. Zum Portal: www.archivportal-d.de/themenportal...
Screenshot: Ausschnitt Deutschlandkarte mit markierten Orten, darüber der Schriftzug (F)Akten gegen das Vergessen.
12214
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 02/04/2026
This is one of the largest increases in recent coverage we’ve ever seen, driven by an import of #GURS addresses in #Slovenia.
A heatmap of 1,771,955 elements modified in March, zoomed in on Slovenia, which resembles a population density map due to all the addresses added.
020
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 02/04/2026
In March, the #OpenHistoricalMap community added 643,241 dated elements, 18,358 buildings, and 5,816½ railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by 24 years, and the average year shifted 17 years later. All this with the help of 28 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
131
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 31/03/2026
Community members are scheduled to present at events in at least four countries in the next few months. Our event calendar has never looked so international! 🇦🇹🇩🇪🇺🇸🇲🇽 osm.wiki/OHM/Events Planning to name-drop #OpenHistoricalMap in a talk, organize a mapathon, or livestream your mapping? Let us know!
Events. April 10, 2026: Graz Linux Days 2026 in Graz, Austria. April 30, 2026 – May 3, 2026: FOSSGIS OSM Community Meetup 2026 Number 25 in Essen, Germany. June 11, 2026 – June 13, 2026: State of the Map U.S. in Madison, Wisconsin. June 16, 2026 – June 19, 2026: 14th Symposium on Mexican Geography Instruction in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.A table ranking countries by the number of events. United States leads with 23 events, trailed by Germany with two. Austria, Belize, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, and the Philippines each have had one.
020
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
OpenStreetMap US @osmus.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Why join OSM US? Our members say it best: "I regularly use maps to lay out historic routes and in the US. Because #OpenStreetMap is a communal effort, I want to lend my support for its mission." Help support this communal effort. Become a member of OSM US today 🔗 openstreetmap.us/get-involved...
001
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 20/03/2026
If you only use the source for the opening date, it should be acceptable, because a fact cannot be copyrighted.
000
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
OpenStreetMap US @osmus.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Thank you to all the donors who have supported #OpenHistoricalMap's fundraiser. We are more than 50% away from the timely goal of $2,026. Donate: openstreetmap.app.neoncrm.com/forms/ohm-2026 Help us get there! Your investment will go directly toward enhancing #OHM's dependability and usability.
003
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 11/03/2026
And we should have worded it better - your project is AMAZING. Looking forward to the updates. : ) Please share your progress with others on our Forum - forum.openhistoricalmap.org. THANK YOU for all you're doing. 🙏🗺️⌛
forum.openhistoricalmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap Forum
Conversations about the most ambitious map of the history of the world
000
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 11/03/2026
Wait... isn't that what OHM is supposed to be? :) I hope you're planning to store your data in OHM!
110
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 05/03/2026
Oops! OHM was supposed to be a map of history, but linguists turned us into an accidental map of the history of writing. Minh introduces @unicode.org to our efforts with @maplibre.org to bring #HGIS to more language traditions all over the world: youtu.be/xoqwUHvYsrs w.wiki/JC25 #UTW2025 #i18n
youtube.com
UTW 2025: An Accidental Map of the History of Writing
YouTube video by The Unicode Consortium
010
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 01/03/2026
In February, the #OpenHistoricalMap community added 47,171 dated elements, 5,175 buildings, and 7,924¾ railroad miles. The average age of a dated element fell by 10 months, and the average year shifted 5 months later. All this with the help of 43 new contributors – welcome! osm.wiki/OHM/Statistics
wiki.openstreetmap.org
OpenHistoricalMap/Statistics - OpenStreetMap Wiki
040
Reposted by OpenHistoricalMap
Mike O'Brien @obrien.page · 16/02/2026
New RVA bot! You've heard me drone on about @maprva.org's Yesterdays project, and now you get it spoon-fed to you every few hours. Give it a follow or, even better, go to yesterdays.maprva.org and place some photos yourself!
yesterdays.maprva.org
Yesterdays of Richmond
Place historical images of Richmond, Virginia on the map!
2167
OpenHistoricalMap @openhistoricalmap.org · 21/02/2026
Or if you’re a mapper in or of somewhere else, stay tuned for additional online get-togethers at a more convenient time for your time zone.
000