Mapping America, One Stitch at a Time

When the United States gained independence in 1783, much of the nation’s geography remained unfamiliar to its citizens. As schools sought to cultivate geographic literacy, girls at academies were taught not only to read maps but to make them—sometimes with needle and thread.

About Lynne Anderson: Lynne Anderson retired from a long career as a University of Oregon professor of education in 2017. Lynne is the founder and president of the Sampler Consortium, an international membership organization, and director of the Sampler Archive Project. She is also a sampler collector and researcher, exhibition curator, and author.

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