The Journal

Franklin-Folger chart of the Gulf Stream

October 14, 2026 Joseph Beckman 1 min read

On This Page

01 — Introduction
02 — Document
03 — Metadata
04 — Title
05 — Description
06 — Archive Identifier
07 — Creator
08 — Date as cataloged
09 — Geographic coverage
10 — Map type
11 — Source institution
12 — Source record
13 — Rights statement
14 — Rights evidence
15 — Credit line
16 — Curatorial note
17 — Original image
18 — Attachments

Document

Franklin-Folger chart showing the Gulf Stream across the North Atlantic.

Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. Franklin-Folger chart of the Gulf Stream

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Metadata

Title

Franklin-Folger chart of the Gulf Stream

Description

A powerful ocean current becomes a visible route-planning problem on this chart. Franklin and Nantucket captain Timothy Folger combined practical maritime knowledge with a printed Atlantic chart to describe the Gulf Stream. The current helps explain why voyages in opposite directions could take very different amounts of time. For a map collection, it offers an engaging example of how observations made at sea can reshape the way people travel.

Archive Identifier

LSM-LOC-88696412

Creator

Benjamin Franklin and Timothy Folger, Gulf Stream information; Herman Moll, base chart; John Mount and Thomas Page, publishers

Date as cataloged

circa 1768, per catalog

Rights statement

Library of Congress states that its Geography and Map Division digitized content is free to use and reuse unless a contrary Rights Advisory is present. No contrary advisory was found on this item.

Rights evidence

https://www.loc.gov/item/88696412/

Credit line

Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Curatorial note

The Library of Congress catalogs this chart to circa 1768. Gulf Stream information was overprinted on an existing Atlantic chart.

Original image

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/gmd/gmd9/g9112/g9112g/ct000753.jp2