That weird lake on old maps that keeps moving

Every time I see a 1700s map of North America, Lake Michigan is drawn way too far south and shaped like a kidney bean. Drives me nuts how many reprint sellers just copy the mistake without checking newer surveys.

2 comments

2 Comments

troymorgan13d ago

I used to be one of those guys who thought old maps were charming and figured it didn't matter much if they were a little off, you know? Then I saw a side by side of an early 1700s map next to modern satellite imagery and it hit me how bad the error really is. Lake Michigan is a solid 200 miles south on some of those prints, and the whole shape is just totally wrong. Now I can't unsee it and it bugs me every time someone tries to sell a nice framed copy like it's accurate history.

matthewross13d ago

Right? It's like cartographers back then were just guessing based on a half remembered drawing someone described at a bar. I've seen those kidney bean Lakes Michigan too, and it's hilarious how they'd just slap some random mountain range in the middle of nowhere to fill the blank space. Makes me wonder what future map makers will get hilariously wrong about our current cities, lol.