Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co."A New Map of Alabama with its Roads & Distances from Place to Place, along the Stage & Steam Boat Routes"

Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. Plate 22. "A New Map of Alabama with its Roads & Distances from place to place, along the Stage & Steam Boat Routes". 

Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co., 1850+. 14 1/4 x 11 1/2. Lithographic transfer from engraved plate. Full original hand color. Full margins. Very good condition. 

A strong, beautifully crafted map of Alabama from the mid-nineteenth century, published by Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. This firm took over the publication of S. Augustus Mitchell's important Universal Atlas in 1850, and they continued to produce up-dated maps that were amongst the best issued in the period. Clearly very similar to the earlier Mitchell map, this map is among the first to show Choctow County formed from parts of Washington and Sumter Counties in 1847. This map shows Alabama at an interesting period in its history. The map is filled with myriad topographical details, including rivers, towns, and political borders. The Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. maps are especially known for their depiction of the transportation routes of the states, and this map is no exception. The transportation infrastructure was extremely important at this period of increased immigration and travel in the American south. This information is clearly depicted, including rail lines, steamboat routes, canals and roads. A table at the left lists the steamboat routes from Mobile to other southern cities. A fascinating Alabama document from mid-century.