The Duke University Libraries' collection contains thousands of maps and atlases. The Map Collection is a good source for North Carolina maps. It is housed in the Public Documents area on the third floor of Bostock Library. Most maps dated before 1900 are held in the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, though the Map Collection does hold facsimile reprints of some pre-1900 maps. 

Helpful Resources 

• DeLorme Mapping Company. North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, ME: Delorme, c1997. 
  Perkins Reference Atlas Cases Oversize G1300 .D36 1992b.  Also held by Lilly & Medical Center.  
• Orr, Douglas and Alfred Stuart, eds.  The North Carolina Atlas: Portrait for a New Century.  Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000. 
  Perkins Reference G1300 .N7 2000.  Also held by Lilly, Ford & Medical Center.  
• Powell, William Stevens.  The North Carolina Gazetteer.  Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press [1968]. 
  Perkins Reference Desk F252 .P6 1968.  Also held by Special Collections.  
• Puetz, C. J.  North Carolina County Maps. Lyndon Station, WI: County Maps, [1989]
  Perkins Public Documents/Maps, Maps Reference 912.756 P977 N873 1989.  Also held by Bio-Environmental Sciences.
   
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
  Sanborn maps were originally created to assist fire insurance companies and are historical tools for anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods.  Microfilm copies of these very detailed North Carolina city maps are available from the 1880s through the mid-20th century. These maps include information such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, the heights and functions of structures, and the location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers.  This microfilm is located in the back of the Map Collection alcove.

Although a bit more difficult to use, the Digital Sanborn Maps for North Carolina cities are available to any patrons in the library, or remotely to Duke users only.  They cover 1867-1970.   Original paper copies of these maps in color (film and online are black & white) are available for research in the North Carolina Collection at the Wilson Library at UNC-Chapel Hill.