1820 Maps of Lexington and Richland County

In 1815, Professor George Blackburn (South Carolina College) was commissioned by the Legislature to supervise the creation of a South Carolina State map. Blackburn compiled a team of 20 of the best surveyors in the state to create the maps of the twenty-eight judicial districts. Blackburn’s background was mathematics and Astronomy. He employed the use of modern scientific techniques, notably, Astronomical surveying to map the entire state by Longitude and Latitude measurements. When the project was completed, the cost exceeded $90,000 and sales of the maps proved to be disappointing. In 1825, Robert Mills took on the task of updating and improving the maps in what would be know as the Mills’ Atlas of South Carolina. Ironically, the popular “improved” Mills’ maps for Richland and Lexington county introduced an error in the length of the Broad River’s Bull Sluice canal. This error incorrectly pushed the position of McGowan’s Ferry down to the abutment remains of today’s Castle Road site. Other historical documents, which gave relative positions of Stark’s Ferry and the Confederate Bridge to McGowan’s Ferry, were now incorrectly pointing these crossings to the Castle Road site. Taking measurements and viewing overlays (below) of the Blackburn maps with today’s maps, proves that Blackburn’s techniques were amazingly accurate (just look at the overlay of Broad River Road, Bush River Road, State Street, Gervais Street, River Drive, and North Main) and that McGowan’s Ferry, Stark’s Ferry, and the Confederate bridge were closer to today’s Broad River Road Bridge. This also agrees with the recently discovered engineering surveys of the canals on Broad River which were done in 1867 and 1870. Above is the portion of the Richland County map that shows the rivers. Below is the over lay of the river and main roads onto today's map. Above is the portion of the Lexington County map that shows the rivers. Below is the overlay of the river and main roads onto today's map.