Research Guides: Researching Waltham: Resources for Research, Teaching, and Learning: Geospatial Data and Mapping

Historical Maps of Waltham

To explore the layout and structure of Waltham has developed over time, refer to the following assortment of historical maps.

Map Left: Waltham, 1849

Map Center: Waltham, 1854

Map Right: Waltham, 1873

Images from: The Digital Commonwealth

Digital Commonwealth: Maps of Waltham
Partnering with the Waltham Public Library, the Digital Commonwealth of Massachusetts has provided access to a collection of historical maps of Waltham dating as far back as 1831.
Historical Maps of Waltham Slideshow
A slideshow of historical maps of Waltham from 1831 to 1960; maps courtesy of the Digital Commonwealth of MA Collection and compiled by Simona Shuman '22.

Modern Maps of Waltham

Looking to enjoy the City of Waltham today? Use the links below to view the city and its current offerings.

Waltham in Context: Examining Racial and Ethnic Diversity
This "story map" was created by Sophie Trachtenberg '21 and serves to highlight the richness of cultural diversity in Waltham. Use this as an example of what you can create yourself through the Social Explorer platform.
Waltham Today: Google Earth Tour
Brandeis' Department of Community Service has created an interactive tour of the City of Waltham as part of their program titled "Waltham: The More You Know". Through this Google Earth tour, you are able to explore the streets of Waltham from your computer, locating various restaurants, museums, nonprofits, government organizations, schools, businesses, and more.

Create Your Own

Using online mapping tools, you will be able to create your own maps to highlight geospatial data that is relevant for your specific project. For members of the Brandeis community, the Brandeis Library provides free access to the tools below.

ArcGIS Online This link opens in a new window
Online mapping tool that lets you design and share maps, scenes, apps, layers, analytics, and data.
Social Explorer This link opens in a new window
Create maps and reports to illustrate, analyze, and understand demography and social change. Data sets include the US Census from 1790-2010, the American Community Survey, the Religious Congregations and Membership Survey, carbon emissions data from the Vulcan Project, and more.

Need More Help?

For more information about mapping, geospatial data, and other resources, contact Alex Willett, the GIS and Social Sciences Librarian at the Brandeis Library. Below, you will also find links to the various mapping guides that Alex and the Library have already created.