Scope and Content: Maps have been collected by the state secretary by legislative directive or on account of historical value.  Items are manuscript or printed, on various materials.
Notes: Between 1886 and 1891 all maps in the Archives collection were numbered chronologically.  Some numbered maps were stored with and described as part of existing series.  Other maps relating to existing series (e.g., boundary commissions) were physically removed from them.  These and other maps were bound between 1886 and 1891 into 69 volumes known as: Third series; oversize maps were stored loose on rollers and were known as: Numbered series.  Maps previously bound into a five-volume set entitled: Ancient plans, grants were transferred to the new volumes.  Maps acquired through 1900 were grouped in a new sequence by date, although continuing the previous numbering sequence; after 1900 maps were simply numbered as they were accessioned.  Some maps acquired after 1891 were interleaved in the original 69 volumes, but most were left unbound.  A bound volume showing the 1899 boundary line between Massachusetts and Rhode Island was marked as v. 70 at a later date, and in the 1950s several maps were put into two volumes marked v. 71 and 72.  Third series and: Numbered series were combined in 1989 to form: Maps and plans.  The practice of numbering maps accessioned as a whole or substantial part of another series was discontinued in 1986.  But generally individual maps accessioned even with private provenance may still be numbered and shelved as part of this series. Map numbering omits 3100-3999.
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