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Colton’s Map of the States and Territories West of the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean Showing the Overland Routes, Projected Rail Road Lines &c.
New York, 1874. Hand-colored lithograph, 41.25” x 29.25”, folding into brown cloth covers, gilt title on upper cover. CONDITION: Very good. A richly detailed pocket map showing the western United States at the height of expansionism during the American Indian Wars, among the most widely distributed of its time and recognized as one of the best to depict the region. First published in 1864, this remarkably well-drawn and expansive map appears here in its 1874 edition. Renowned for its draftsmanship, attention to detail, and descriptive notes, it was regularly revised and republished between 1864 and 1881 as a pocket map. Colton’s map is replete with an astonishing amount of information, including road networks, railroad lines (built and planned), forts, cities and towns, Native American tribes, mountain peaks, rivers, and other natural features. All counties and subdivisions are individually hand-colored with a four-color scheme. International and state/territory borders are shown in bright pink. At the time of publication, eleven of the western territories had yet to gain statehood, yet no distinction—visually or in nomenclature—is made here between states and territories. Both are shown (including subdivisions) in full color, on equal footing. Former names present include a unified “Dakota,” “Indian Territory,” and “Public Lands,” the federally-owned no-man’s-land that would become the Oklahoma panhandle. In combining physical and political iconography with qualitative descriptions, Colton’s map would have resonated with both the general public and those with a vested interest in the frontier. Its broadly-appealing aesthetic qualities include precise hand-coloring, a decorative border of vines and seashells, and finely-hatched topography and water. More specialized information includes outposts, camps, water sources, and surveyed land districts Railroads shown include the Central Pacific R.R. and the Union Pacific R.R. (joined in 1869 to form the first transcontinental railroad). Completed lines are marked with crossed lines, while uncompleted and planned lines are uncrossed. Uncompleted lines shown here include the Texas Pacific R.R. (through the Gadsden territory, eventually completed west of El Paso as the Southern Pacific R.R.), the Northern Pacific R.R. connecting Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest (connected in 1883), and the Atlantic & Pacific R.R. from California through Indian Territory. In a nod to westward expansion, longitude is marked in degrees “west from Washington” along the top, and from Greenwich on the bottom. The decline in population density—reflected in the dramatic reduction of railroads, towns, and counties—becomes strikingly apparent around the 100th meridian west of Greenwich. This reality is softened by the colorful checkerboard stretching boldly to the Pacific, covering land that was then contested, sparsely populated and unorganized, anticipating its eventual integration into the United States. Written commentary on the borders with Mexico and Canada—and a few state borders of Texas and Indian Territory—added a sense of legitimacy to these claims, referencing treaties and surveys. Despite being published during the height of the American Indian Wars, Colton’s map presents the aspirational and speculative side of westward expansion. Written descriptions of particular zones seem to implicitly encourage settlement, stating, for example, that “Elevated plains, fertile, gently rolling with fresh water, lakes and timber” can be found in northwest Colorado, while “silver is found” in southwest Arizona. Other descriptors paint a discouraging picture: “Elevated Table Lands without wood or water” (western Texas) and “Bad Lands which are covered with stunted grass” (western Nebraska). The names of Native American tribes are shown in their respective territories in fine print. In Utah, “Capt. JW Gunnison killed by the Indians,” is one of the few references made to conflict. Gunnison and his surveying party were ambushed in 1853 by a group of Pahvant Utes after entering their territory during a period of hostility with Mormon settlers. Forts are marked with American flags. The inside of the front cover contains an advertisement for other Colton publications, including specially-produced maps for schools, travelers’ maps, atlases, maps of railroads, and mining reports. George Woolworth Colton (1827–1901) and Charles B. Colton (1832–1916) continued the legacy of their father, Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800–1893) at their publishing firm in New York, founded in 1831. With only a basic education and no formal training in geography, J. H. Colton got his start republishing maps from other firms before producing his own material. In the 1850s, he brought his sons into the business, which then took on their names. Additional publications by Colton & Co. include the two-volume Colton’s Atlas of the World (1855–1856), Colton’s General Atlas (1857), Colton’s Map of Texas, and various national and regional maps of the United States. Many of the separately-published Colton maps were also sold as pocket maps. Colton’s famous maps of the western US are derived considerably from Johnson's New Illustrated & Embellished County Map of the Republics of North America, a map first published in 1856 by A. J. Johnson. Colton and Johnson, both New York-based publishers, collaborated on several additional projects, including Johnson’s Family Atlas, which included Colton-produced maps. REFERENCES: “Railroad Maps, 1828 to 1900 : Map Publishing Firms” at the Library of Congress online; Rumsey 2928.001 (the 1864 edition).
Item #9348
Price: $1,500.00
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