Bradford, Thomas G. "Illinois."

Thomas G. Bradford. "Illinois." From Samuel G. Goodrich's A General Atlas of the World.

Boston: C.D. Strong, 1841. 14 1/4 x 11 3/8. Engraving by G.W. Boynton. Original hand color. Some minor spots in margins. Very good condition.  

An attractive and early map of Illinois by Thomas Bradford. This map was first issued in the 1838 edition of Bradford's atlas, but this example appeared in Samuel Goodrich's atlas from 1841. The map shows the social, political and transportation situation in the state at the time. This map was issued fairly soon after the end on the Black Hawk War, when the Native Americans were essentially driven across the Mississippi and Euro-Americans poured into the fertile lands of the state. This was a period of great growth, with the matching development of transportation throughout, nicely shown on this map. Roads are indicated as is a nascent, yet burgeoning railroad network. Counties are named and indicated in contrasting shades, and rivers, lakes, and towns are precisely depicted. A nice picture of Illinois near the middle of the nineteenth century.