Part of the expansion of the HistoryForge project to include all of Tompkins County and not just the City of Ithaca, included solving the issue of finding early maps documenting the rural townships of Tompkins. A starting solution came in the form of the Clock & Compass Map system developed by John Byron Plato in the 1920's (learn more at Mark Monmoniers Book Talk on 10/8).

We recently completed the digitization of these materials and addition to the New York Heritage Digital Collections database as part of our ongoing partnership with the South Central Regional Library Council. We are thrilled to have the digitized "Clock System Rural Index" papers and maps for Groton Township, Caroline Township, Danby & Newfield Towns, Ithaca & Enfield Towns, Ulysses Township, Dryden Township, and Lansing Township now available to the public. 

Learn more about this unique mapping system in Monmoniers new book 'Clock & Compass: How John Byron Plato Gave Farmers a Real Address' available through The History Center's online bookstore for $20.

If you are interested in joining the HistoryForge team as a volunteer, please reach out to Eve Snyder at historyforge@thehistorycenter.net