The Map Collection is located on the first floor of Mills Library. This area houses historical atlases, city directories and selected fire insurance maps.
The Map Collection's historical atlases and gazetteers can be helpful in identifying the location of villages, hamlets and townships of the past. City directories for Hamilton are available from 1853 onward. These directories often include surrounding areas such as Ancaster, Aldershot, Burlington, Dundas, Stoney Creek and Waterdown and provide an alphabetical listing of adult persons including their addresses, occupations and employers.
A limited number of fire insurance maps for Hamilton and various other cities can be consulted in the Map Collection. These maps provide detailed information on structures such as building material, size, number of stories, usage and property lines.