Lyubar, Ukraine

Assessment of 1897 Map by Dr. Mark FISHER

I have received the Lyubar map. Unfortunately, it is disappointing. It is based on a survey done of Lyubar in 1897 or shortly thereafter and is primarily concerned with drawing the city boundaries based on accurate compass readings. The primary interest of the mapmakers seems to be property indications and some physical features. There are few if any street names, no addresses, houses or indications of private residences, etc. Churches are marked (six in that little town!). The banner says, "Map of the town of Lyubar, Novograd-Volynsk District, Volhynia Gubernia [Province], estate of Countess Celestina Kazimirovna Vodzitsky, with other landowners, peasant landowners and church properties. Compiled pursuant to government order No. 457 of Volhynia Gubernia of May 3, 1897, on the determination of the precincts of the town based on compass readings of Assistant Provincial Surveyor Puzin. Total area within [illegible] limits are 640 dessiatines, including the village Ivankovtsy [an even smaller place to the southwest of Lyubar, in the lower left corner of the map] to the Osyr River 36 dessiatines 1280 sazhens [etc]."

The Sluch' River running through the center of Lyubar is shown. There was apparently a large nunnery near the center of town. The "Old Town" and "New Town" are shown. Presumably this corresponds to the parts of town my grandmother used to call the "Alte Studt" and the "Neie Studt". She lived in the "Neie Studt", which is apparently where most of the Jews lived. There is another part of town called "Strizhalka," which is either a proper name or may mean a place where sheep were shorn, I'm not really sure. There is yet another part of town in the far northeast called "Yurovka." I don't know what that means, if anything. The legend in the lower left shows the following designations:

1. Estate properties of Countess Vodzitsky, taxed as municipal real estate
2. Cemeteries
3. Pastures and undeveloped lands unsuitable for construction
4. Squares and streets
5. Peasant landowner areas, formerly belonging to Countess Vodzitsky of Old and New Lyubar
6. Estate of Countess Vodnitsky [presumably the parts exempt from taxation]
7. Arable land
8. Hayfields
9. Orthodox church properties
10. Catholic church properties
11. [Illegible]
12. Swamps and marshland
13. Ponds and streams

There are a number of very small notations that are too small to make out.

It's really too bad about this map. However, maybe it could be used as a starting point: The actual map part could be traced out fresh and work could begin on filling in the information that would be of real interest. Any artists out there among us?

Mark F.