Tracing the Rhetorical Boundaries of College Park through Archival Maps

Abstract

Through the investigations of archival maps, this research project examines the changes in the College Park cultural landscape over time. Although the fire of 1912 destroyed many documents, remaining materials help to illustrate how the university and city have shaped each other over time. Through archived maps of what we now know as College Park, detail the changes over time, including changes in environment and use of space, as well as the ways in which the relationship between the university and the town has evolved over time. Relying on accessible primary documents, this research project looks at influential events in College Park history, such as the founding era of “College Lawn,” the eventual incorporation of the City of College Park, and the devastation of the Lakeland community.