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The Rocky Mountain Map Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of maps and other items of cartographic interest. The Society was formed in 1991 and is based in Denver, Colorado.  Upcoming meetings, past events and other information can be found at the tabs above. We hope to see you soon!

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Announcements:​​​

  • RMMS Lecture Openings

    • ​We have some open slots in our 2026 lecture schedule. If you are interested in giving a talk, or know someone who would be a good fit, please contact Vincent.louis.szilagyi@gmail.com. Any and all map related topics are welcome, as are any level of speaker experience. Thank you!
       

  • The Domínguez and Escalante Expedition by Wes Brown and Jeremy Morton

    • Tuesday, March 24, 2026 @ 5:30 PM MT, History Colorado, Downtown Denver

    • In 1776, two Franciscan priests named Domínguez and Escalante set out from Santa Fe into territory unknown, lands claimed by Spain but controlled by the native Tribes who called it home. With Indigenous guides, the Padres and their party of twelve navigated harsh terrain through present-day Colorado and the Mountain West. The artistic maps created on the expedition by Bernardo de Miera impacted cartographers for 60 years.
      At this meeting, RMMS member Wes Brown will review key map images before the expedition, as well as Miera’s results.
      Exhibit Curator, Jeremy Morton, will then lead us on a private tour of       Expedition 1776: The Journey of Domínguez & Escalante.

      Speakers: Jeremy Morton is an exhibition developer and historian at the History Colorado Center. He graduated from the University of Colorado Denver with a bachelor of arts in history, and a master of arts in curriculum and instruction.

      Wes Brown has been a collector and student of old maps for over 40 years. He serves on the boards of the Rocky Mountain Map Society, the Society for the History of Discoveries, and the International Map Collectors Society.

      PLEASE NOTE: This special program will be in person only. Zoom access will not be provided.
       

    • Space is limited, registration (Free) required, please click here.
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    • History Colorado Center, downtown Denver. Please click here for parking information. Program will be in the Martin Room, on the 4th floor. Please enter the building at the main (front) entrance.
       

  • "de Soto, Coosa, and the Creek" by Stephen Hoffenberg, MD

    • Tuesday, May 12, 2026 @ 5:30 PM MT, History Colorado, Downtown Denver​

    • In 1539 the Spanish conquistador de Soto embarked on an entrada into the Southeast US. He encountered an extensive Mississippian civilization that preceded the Indigenous nations of the southeast now recognized as the Creek (Muscogee), Choctaw, Cherokee and Chickasaw. Nearly 120 years later exploration by the British in the Carolinas and the French on the Mississippi river resulted in colonization and broad claims of sovereignty by both European nations in addition to historic Spanish claims.  
      Three manuscript maps reflected those explorations and shaped cartographic knowledge of the southeast in published maps for almost two hundred years. These “Mother Maps” were the “Soto” map of 1544, the 1701 manuscript “des Environs du Missisipi” by Delisle and the 1721 “Map of part of North America …” by Barnwell. Each map made its unique and indelible contribution.
      This presentation will evaluate the cartographic content, the historical context and the legacy of these manuscript maps.
       

    • Speaker: Stephen Hoffenberg, MD, is a retired Emergency Physician based in Denver, Colorado, and a collector of early North American maps. As a long-term member of the Rocky Mountain Map Society, he focuses on the cartography of North America, especially western expansion and U.S. government exploration mapping. His presentations for the Society include Cartography of the Indian Country; The Trans‑Appalachian West of Lewis Evans; The 1850 Topographical Engineers: A Map of National Identity; and Drawing the Line: War, Treaty, and Exploration.
       

    • Note: This talk will be in person and over Zoom (link to be posted soon)

      Registration required (free) for in person attendance (please click here)

      History Colorado Center      , downtown Denver. Please click here for parking information. Program will be in the Martin Room, on the 4th floor. Please enter the building at the main (front) entrance.
       

  • ​New Feature in Colorado Magazine: “Lost and Found – Rediscovering Colorado’s Earliest Records” by RMMS member Larry Obermesik

    • ​We’re excited to share an engaging piece from Colorado magazine titled “Lost and Found: How my pandemic pastime led me to rediscover some of Colorado’s earliest records.” Over the course of the pandemic, RMMS member Larry Obermesik turned a quiet hobby into a remarkable journey through archives, unearthing forgotten maps, journals, and documents that shed new light on the early days of Colorado’s settlement.

    • You may remember that Larry presented the story to RMMS last year of Daniel Jenks, the early Colorado gold miner, from the journal Larry discovered in the Library of Congress. Larry has gone on to do amazing research on the Jenks family and uncovered important documents of broader importance to share with other researchers.

    • Article linked here

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  • The Rocky Mountain Map Society has a YouTube Page now! Past talks are available to view whenever you like. Check it out!

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  • Our friend John Docktor has a wonderful list of all upcoming map events, not just in the USA, but across the pond as well. Please check it out!​

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© 2023 by RMMS

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