|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other map pages:
[ Locations | Map themes & related | Cartographers ]
[ Return to 19th century regional US maps ]
A mid-century map of the western part of the United States, one of the first maps to show the state of California and the territories of Utah and New Mexico. The map is an updated version of a map that appeared in S. Augustus Mitchell's Universal Atlas of 1849. The southern part of the region shown in that map, "Upper California," had just been won from Mexico in 1848, and Mitchell's map was important for presenting the vast new U.S. territories to the American public. In 1850, the rights to Mitchell's atlas were sold to the firm of Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co., which reissued the atlas with some updating. That year the newly acquired lands were divided by Congress into the state of California and two territories, Utah and New Mexico; Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. revised the Mitchell map accordingly.
Besides the new political information that appeared on this map, what had appeared on the 1849 map as the "Great Interior Basin" is now somewhat filled in based on Fremont's map, renamed "Fremont Basin." Other topographical features included considerable orography, rivers, and lakes. The Great Salt Lake is shown, next to which is "Salt Lake City. Mormon Set.," which had just been settled in 1847. Early settlements and a coastal road are illustrated in California, and the old Spanish trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles is also indicated. Of further interest is the prominent depiction of the Oregon Trail, shown snaking from present-day Colorado to the Columbia River. The entire region north of Utah and California appears as the Oregon Territory, which it remained until the Washington Territory was created in 1853. Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. continued to revise this map, for in 1851 they came out with a further up-dated map retitled "A New Map of the State of California…" and with more information provided on the counties of the territories and state. This is a fascinating and historical important map, one of the first to show the new political situation in the west after the Compromise of 1850. $875
"Map No. 10. United States." From Roswell C. Smith's A Precise and Practical System of Geography. New York: Burgess & Co., 1853. 10 1/4 x 8 7/8. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition. Denver.
A small but interesting map of the configuration on the western U.S. shortly after gold was discovered in California. Shows Washington and Oregon extending from the Pacific to the crest of the Rockies, and Utah and New Mexico extending from California to the Rockies. Nebraska and the North West Territory are shown in part. $150
"North America Sheet XV. Utah, New Mexico, Texas, California, &c. and the Northern States of Mexico." London: Edward Stanford, 1853? 12 1/2 x 15 1/4. Engraving by J. & C. Walker. Full hand color. Very good condition. Phillips Atlases: 811.
An updated SDUK map of the American southwest, and the northern parts of Mexico, showing the region in the form it took following the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The SDUK was very concerned about keeping their maps up-to-date and this map is, if anything, a bit ahead of its time. An earlier version, entitled "Central America, Sheet II," was issued in 1842, but many changes had taken place in the preceding decade. The Mexican American War had added Texas and the American Southwest to the United States, which was broken into California, and the Utah and New Mexico Territories with the Compromise of 1850, with Texas taking its current borders. For the Great Plains, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 established two new territories, with an unorganized "Indian Territory" located just north of Texas. This is the configuration shown here, indicating either that this map was actually issued in 1854, or that the publisher anticipated the passage of the 1854 Act by one year. In any case, this is a very current and graphic image of the American southwest in the years just before the Civil War. $550
Carl Flemming. "Californien, Oregon, Utah und Neu-Mejico." From Heinrich Berghaus's Vollständiger Universal-Handatlas. Glogau, Germany: C. Flemming, 1854. 15 1/2 x 13 5/8. Lithograph by C. Flemming. Original outline color. Very good condition. Denver.
Carl Flemming was the founder of an important German firm located in Berlin and Glogau and this map shows characteristic German detail. Germans were very interested in the western parts of the United States at this time and the atlas from which this map came contained not only two maps of the United States as a whole-one single sheet and one four part map-but also a number of regional maps including this one of the region to the west of the Rocky Mountains. The topography is graphic but quite confused. The entire region is shown consisting only of California and the three territories of Oregon-which encompass the entire northwest corner-Utah and New Mexico. $475
"Utah, New Mexico and California." Wood engraving from unknown 1854 publication. 4 5/8 x 8. Very good condition. Denver. $55
"Territories of New Mexico and Utah." New York: J.H. Colton, 1855. 11 5/8 x 14 5/8. Lithograph. Full original hand color. Very good condition. Wheat: 832.
A fine map of the territories of New Mexico and Utah, recently established in 1850, shown before the creation of Nevada (1861) and Arizona (1863). The map is filled with interesting information, such as the routes of the explorers Fremount, Stansbury, Kearney and Gunnison (noting that "Capt. Gunnison Killed by Indians"), proposed routes for the transcontinental railroad, the Spanish Trail and the Oregon Route. Also indicated are forts, Indian tribes, and political divisions.
"A New Map of the State of California, The Territories of Oregon, Washington, Utah & New Mexico." Philadelphia: Charles Desilver, 1856. 16 x 12 3/4. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition. Denver.
Charles Desilver, one of the many publishers working in Philadelphia during the mid-nineteenth century, issued an atlas of maps based on the famous Tanner-Mitchell-Cowperthwait series. Desilver used much the same information as originally drawn in the 1840s, but updated the maps with new counties, roads, towns, etc. Here the country west of the Rockies is depicted with the state of California and the rest comprised of just four territories: Washington, Oregon, Utah and New Mexico. Settlement in those territories was quite sparse at the time, with some cities shown, and a number of counties developed in the western part of the northern most territories. The map was issued just after the Gadsden Treaty (1854) so the current southern border with Mexico is depicted. Of note are depictions of the southern route proposed for the Pacific Railroad, the Spanish trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, the routes of Lewis & Clark and Fremont, and the Oregon Trail. Forts are indicated, as are the territories of various Indian tribes. Of interest is the small section entitled "Middle Park," which is shown as part of Utah, but which is currently part of Colorado (the western part of which is shown as part of Kansas Territory. Overall, a terrific and up-to-date map of the western United States. $650
A.J. Johnson. "Johnson's California with Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona." New York: Johnson & Ward, 1864. 16 3/4 x 23 1/2. Lithograph. Full original color. Some tears and chips at edges; all stabilized by expertly applied Japan paper lining on verso. Otherwise, very good condition. Denver.
One example of several maps published by Johnson during a short period in the 1860s showing swift changes in the borders of states and territories in the western U.S., this map shows the states in a configuration similar to what is familiar in the 21st century. The exception is that the southeast corner of present-day Nevada (below the 37th parallel), is indicated as part of Arizona. An interesting view of the American southwest during a period of rapid change. $325
"Colton's Map of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona & New Mexico." New York: G.W. and C.B. Colton & Co., 1866. 16 3/4 x 26. Lithograph. Original hand color. Repaired separation at centerfold. Trimmed into decorative border, as issued in atlas. Otherwise, very good condition. Denver.
A fascinating map of the southwestern part of the United States by the Colton firm of New York City, issued just after the Civil War. This was a period when the American west was really opening up for settlers and this map captures the region at a very early stage of its development. When issued, the territories had taken on the shape that the states have today, though in this early version of the Colton map of the region Nevada's southern tip is shown as part of Arizona. Detail or topography is very good, but it is the social information that is so interesting. Towns, forts (, Indian tribes, passes, explorer routes, the pony express, and early trails (e.g. "Emigrant Road") are all depicted. Of particular note are the indications of early railroads, both proposed and existing, including the proposed route of the "Pacific R.R." California, in contrast to the territories, is shown extensively developed, with many counties, towns, and a network of roads and rail lines. $350
"Map of the Territory of Utah." Washington: General Land Office, 1866. 25 1/4 x 18. Lithograph by Major & Knapp. Original outline color. Some light discoloration along folds. Very good condition. Wheat: 1155. Denver.
The U.S. General Land Office (GLO) was established in 1812 with responsibility to survey and control the dispersal of public lands. All public land was required to be surveyed prior to settlement, and the first director of the GLO, Thomas Hutchins, set up a systematic process of rectangular survey for the public lands and launched the great national project to survey and map the public domain in the entire country, a procedure which got under way in the famous "seven ranges" of southeast Ohio. Each surveyor was to record not only geography, but also features of the landscape with economic import, such as roads, Indian trails, existing settlements, Indian lands, mineral deposits, and of particular interest, railroads and their rights of way. Of note is that unlike most surveys of the time, the surveyors were instructed not to apply new names to the landscape, but to use "the received names of all rivers, creeks, lakes, swamps, prairies, hills, mountains and other natural objects."
By mid-century the GLO had completed most of the surveys for the lands between the Appalachians and the Mississippi, and so focused most of its attention to the American west for the rest of the century. The GLO published mostly state maps, which were issued in annual reports, bound into state atlases, and in a few atlases that combined all the current maps in progress. These maps produced by the GLO are the most accurate and detailed maps of the U.S., based on rigorous and comprehensive surveys not hindered by commercial concerns. These maps proved very useful to private American mapmakers, and they were often the basis for state and county maps in the second part of the nineteenth century. This 1866 map shows Utah five years after it took on essentially its current borders, losing some of its eastern lands to Colorado and its western half to the state of Nevada. The Morman settlements are show as are Indian reservations. An interesting map of the territory. $575
S. Augustus Mitchell Jr. "County Map of Utah and Nevada." Philadelphia: 1865. 11 1/4 x 13 3/4. Drawn and engraved by W. H. Gamble. Hand color. Very good condition. Denver.
For most of the middle part of the nineteenth century, the firm founded by S. Augustus Mitchell, Sr. dominated American cartography in output and influence. This fine map is from one of his son's atlases, and it shows Utah and Nevada in the final year of the Civil War. Towns, rivers, roads and other topographical information are clearly shown, and the counties are shaded with contrasting pastel colors. A fine decorative border surrounds the map, and the whole effect makes for an attractive and historically interesting mid-nineteenth century map. Although dated to 1865, the map shows Nevada's eastern boundary at the 115th meridian. However, when Nevada was granted statehood in 1864, its eastern border was relocated further east to the 114th meridian. $140
S. Augustus Mitchell Jr. "County Map of Utah and Nevada." Philadelphia: 1867. 11 3/8 x 14. Drawn and engraved by W. H. Gamble. Hand color. Very good condition.
An updated version of the above map from the Mitchell firm. Published two years later, this map shows the newly formed Lincoln Country, and Utah's expanded land claim eastwardly to the 114th meridian, giving it further access to navigable waterways. In 1867, Congress ceded more than 18,000 square miles of land from the Arizona Territory to the state of Nevada, giving Nevada access to the Colorado River. Although not seen in this map, these are Nevada's borders as we know them today. $140
"Asher & Adams' Utah." Washington: Asher & Adams, [1874] - 1875. 16 3/8 x 22 1/2. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition.
It was only towards the latter part of the nineteenth century that today's western states took their status as independent territories and then states. Thus, it wasn't before then that there were individual maps of these states. Asher & Adams' atlas issued in 1875 contained quite a number such maps, and these are amongst the earliest available of the individual states. Each contains good detail of towns, roads, rivers, early survey-lines, and political divisions. Though the Territory of Utah was established in 1850-as part of the Compromise of 1850-it wasn't admitted as a state until 1896. This map is particularly interesting in showing the route of the first transcontinental railroad, including Promontory Point, where the golden spike was driven into the rail on May 10, 1869. $135
"The Pacific States and Territories." 1877. 10 7/8 x 8 3/4. Lithograph. Original color. Very good condition. Denver.
Illustrates Washington, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California. $45
S. Augustus Mitchell. "County and Township Map of Utah and Nevada." 1880. 14 1/4 x 21 5/8. Hand color. Very good condition.
A new map of Utah and Nevada from the S. Augustus Mitchell firm of Philadelphia. Rich in detail with much topographical information, the map also shows development of the plat system of surveying, just beginning in the new states west of the Mississippi River. Oddly, the map does not include all of the southern portion of Nevada below the 37th parallel. $95
W.M. Bradley. "County and Township Map of Utah and Nevada." W.M. Bradley & Bros., 1884. 14 3/8 x 21 5/8. Hand color. Very good condition.
An updated version of the above Micthell map, published by Bradley. This map shows new political boundaries in Utah with the introduction of new counties, and it includes an inset of the southern tip of Nevada at the bottom left of the main map. $85
"Utah." Chicago: Geo F. Cram, c. 1890. 12 1/8 x 9 3/4. Wax engraving. Very good condition.
A colorful, detailed map of Utah from the latter part of the nineteenth century. The George Cram Company was an engraving and publishing firm from Chicago. In the mid-nineteenth century, the center of cartographic publishing was New York City, but in the 1880's this began to shift towards Chicago with the advent of the Rand, McNally and Cram firms. These firms were noted for their efficient output of precise maps filled with useful and up-to-date details on roads, towns, railroads, and so forth. Decorative border as shown. Arizona shown on reverse. $65
Other map pages: [ Locations | Map themes & related | Cartographers ]
To Contact Us; call, write, fax or e-mail to:
8441 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118 USA
(215) 242-4750 [Phone]
(215) 242-6977 [Fax]
PhilaPrint@PhilaPrintShop.com
©The Philadelphia Print Shop, Ltd. Last updated August 16, 2010
Place Order 
