Butner Maps of Salisbury

Title

Butner Maps of Salisbury

Description

In 2012, the Butner family gave the library a copy of a Salisbury City map. Mac Butner’s mother, who operated an antiques shop at 1428 N. Main Street, purchased the map many years ago but no one remembers where or exactly when.

The map is approximately 4 x 7 feet in size and was drawn by Calvin M. Miller, a civil engineer who maintained his office and home at 900 North Main Street in Salisbury. He created many maps of Rowan and surrounding areas. A. H. [Archibald Henderson] Boyden, mayor of Salisbury from 1901-1903, as well as the aldermen that served with him, are listed on the map as follows: W.C. Coughenour, J.G. Heilig, T.H. Vanderford, M.A. Shank, W.L. Rankin, G.W. Wright, J.P. Weber and C.H. Swink.

One of the map’s highlights is an enlargement of the “square” where businesses and residents can be identified by name. In other sections of the map owners of properties, including those large areas that were at the time undeveloped, are also identified. Often the parcels have footprints of the buildings in much the same manner as the Sanborn fire insurance maps. The Butner map is a wonderful resource for both historical and genealogical research, especially for turn-of-the-century information.