Mix's Catalog

The State Archives holds thousands of maps and surveys dating from before the Civil War. Among the records are surveys of lands granted to individuals or groups by the Colony and State of New York.  On rare occasions, these records show the occupants of lands.

The main index to early maps and surveys created or filed by State agencies is David E. E. Mix, Catalogue of Maps and Surveys, in the Offices of the Secretary of State, State Engineer and Surveyor, and Comptroller (Albany: 1859; repr. 1981).  Mix's catalog is available for use at the State Archives; on microfilm through inter-library loan from New York State Library; and on microfilm at the New York Public Library.   

Most records listed in Mix's catalog are held by the Archives and now belong to one of several record series.  To locate an item, provide the page number in Mix's catalog on which the reference to the item appears. 

Using that information, Archives staff can retrieve the item of interest and evaluate its physical condition.  If a map is fragile, use and reproduction may be restricted.