Bernard Ratzer
Encyclopedia
Bernard Ratzer was an American cartographer, best known for his 18th century maps of early New York City
. Today, his name is invoked as something of a DaVinci of New York cartography, as his best known work was the 1770 "Plan of the City of New York".
Ratzer was actually a British Army officer who also spent his time in America working as a surveyor and draftsman. He was, in particular, assigned to survey America's eastern coastline during the French and Indian War
and later into the early stages of the American Revolution
. He worked alongside his more well-known contemporaries Claude J. Sauthier
, Holland and Jeffreys.
One of his earliest drafts of the "Plan of the City of New York," which shows in great detail many of the time's most famous landmarks in addition to a small illustration of Governor's Island as seen from Manhattan, was given to George III, England's king, as a gesture from the publishers.
A fourth version of Ratzer's most famous map was recently found in a Connecticut storage facility and was restored in 2011 for the Brooklyn Historical Society
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Today, his name is invoked as something of a DaVinci of New York cartography, as his best known work was the 1770 "Plan of the City of New York".
Ratzer was actually a British Army officer who also spent his time in America working as a surveyor and draftsman. He was, in particular, assigned to survey America's eastern coastline during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and later into the early stages of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He worked alongside his more well-known contemporaries Claude J. Sauthier
Claude J. Sauthier
Claude Joseph Sauthier was an illustrator, draftsman, surveyor, and mapmaker. He was employed by the British colonial government in the American colonies prior to and during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:...
, Holland and Jeffreys.
One of his earliest drafts of the "Plan of the City of New York," which shows in great detail many of the time's most famous landmarks in addition to a small illustration of Governor's Island as seen from Manhattan, was given to George III, England's king, as a gesture from the publishers.
A fourth version of Ratzer's most famous map was recently found in a Connecticut storage facility and was restored in 2011 for the Brooklyn Historical Society
Brooklyn Historical Society
Founded in 1863, the Brooklyn Historical Society is a museum, library, and educational center preserving and encouraging the study of Brooklyn's rich 400-year past. The Brooklyn Historical Society houses materials relating to the history of Brooklyn and its people. These holdings supply...
.