Tennessee Maps

United States   Tennessee    Maps

Maps and atlases are used to locate the places where your ancestors lived. They identify political boundaries, names of places, geographical features, cemeteries, churches, and migration routes.Historical maps often show communities that no longer exist.

For maps illustrating how Tennessee county boundaries have changed over time, visit the free online Tennessee County Formation Maps, courtesy: FamilyHistory101.com and AniMap 3.0.

The Tennessee State Department of Archives and Libraries has the largest collection of Tennessee maps. They are accessible through a card file in the Manuscript Reading Room. The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) is in the beginning stages of posting digital copies of historical maps on their website through the Tennessee Virtual Archives (TEVA). Among the collection is a 1907 historical map showing Davidson County civil districts and the plotted residences of families living within those districts. Other maps from 1795 and 1806 show early waterways and settlements. The Department of Transportation in Nashville also has a large collection of maps and atlases for the state.

The |Tennessee Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture site includes a collection of state maps showing major cities, rivers and roadways. Of special interest is a county map which shows a brief summary of each Tennessee county. These maps are published jointly by the Tennessee Historical Society and The University of Tennessee Press.

United States Census Bureau State and County Map. This map will allow you to zoom in on any state or county in the United States and read the names of all of the neighboring counties.

Maps and atlases for Tennessee include:


 * Easton Morris’ Tennessee Gazetteer 1834 and Matthew Rhea’s Map of the State of Tennessee 1832. 1834. Reprint, Nashville, Tennessee: Gazetteer Press, 1971. (Family History Library book 976.8 E5m.) The record contains a general description of the state, an alphabetical list of places, a map, and a list of government officials.
 * Garrett, William Robertson and Albert Virgil Goodpasture. History of Tennessee. Nashville: Brandon Company, 1905. This is a school textbook which contains excellent maps.
 * Garrett, William Robertson. History of the South Carolina Cession, and the Northern Boundary of Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Methodist Publishing Co., 1884. Free ditigal copy.  Map and explanation concerning the formation of Tennessee state boundaries.
 * Mead, H.D. Kentucky and Tennessee. A Complete Guide to Their Railroads, Stations and Distances, Connections North and South; Their Rivers, Landings. Louisville, H.E. 1867. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
 * A New Map of Tennessee: With its Roads and Distances from Place to Place along the Stage &amp; Steamboat Routes. N.p., 1900's. Photocopy of original published by Thomas, Cowperthwait and Company (Family History Library map 976.8 E7n). This map shows land distances, steamboat routes, and railroads that were in progress or proposed. There are inserts for the areas of Nashville and Knoxville.
 * Puetz, C. J. Tennessee County Maps. Lyndon Station, Wisconsin: County Maps, 1980?. (Family History Library book Q 976.8 E7p.) Contains detailed maps of each county with towns, roads, points of interest, and major rivers and creeks.
 * Rand, McNally &amp; Company’s Indexed Atlas of the World. 1885. Reprint, Searcy, Arkansas: Presley Research, 1978. (Family History Library book 976.8 E7rm 1885.) This shows railroads, major and minor waterways, county boundaries, and county seats of Tennessee.
 * Tennessee Atlas &amp; Gazetteer. Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping Co., 1989. (Family Hisotry Library book 976.8 E7t 2004.) Provides topographical maps.

Charles A. Reeves Jr. has collected many old maps of the state of Tennessee and has also used his cartography skills to create detailed maps of great genealogical value. They may be purchased for small fees through his website, where visitors may view scaled-down versions ReevesMaps.com. Some of these maps include:

Antique Map Reproductions

Original Map Creations

Research Guides
The following research guide, prepared by a Certified Genealogist, includes a useful guide for Tennessee maps:


 * Bamman, Gale Williams. "Research in Tennessee," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 2 (Jun. 1993): 103. FHL US/CAN Book 973 B2ng v. 81 (1993).

See Tennessee Gazetteers, United States Maps, and United States Gazetteers for more resources regarding places in Tennessee. See the Tennessee Archives and Libraries article for facilities with regional collections which might include maps. Also check the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

TENNESSEE - MAPS

TENNESSEE, [COUNTY] - MAPS

TENNESSEE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - MAPS

TENNESSEE - GAZETTEERS

TENNESSEE - MIGRATION, INTERNAL

TENNESSEE - NAMES, GEOGRAPHICAL

Web Sites
Tennessee State Library and Archives

Tennessee Department of Transportation

Maps, Tennessee.gov

My Tennessee Genealogy Includes free version of AniMap 3.0.

Printable maps are also available online from the National Atlas of the United States.

The University of Tennessee Libraries' "Map Services" has a variety of map-related resources available, including digital maps, topographic maps, a list of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps in their collection, online links, and Inter library services.