Americas

Richly engraved map showing the US claims in present day Canada, the Republic of Texas and Russia in control of Alaska. A Mayan temple, wildlife and a ship stranded in the polar sea highlight the map.

Pacific Northwest left blank with notations on Russian exploration in 1743 a thought of a Northwest Passage seen via the Great Lakes.

Detailed mid-eighteenth century map showing the mythical River of the West and California as part of the continent.

Political divisions in outline color on the map and classic Levasseur scenes surround it.

Engraving taken from a tourist handbook. Shows usual streets and railways plus buildings, parks, schools and places of interest.

Map made just prior to the 1883 Columbian Exposition showing the Lagoon Plaisance, the Park Haven Pier and trails, roads and shelters.

Map of the park at the western end of Midway Plaisance just prior to the 1883 Columbian Exposition in 1893.

In celebration of the anniversary of the United States declaration of independence, we are pleased to share a highly detailed view of the country just prior to the Civil War. The western territories have interesting shapes. Texas extends northward to the Arkansas River and includes Santa Fe and Taos. Iowa and Wisconsin have undefined borders in Indian territory which is unnamed. The border of the map includes portraits of Washington and Franklin. Inside the border are vignettes of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, including a planned statue of him that never was completed, Penn’s treaty with the Indians and a buffalo hunt. Last, but not least the U.S. and Excelsior shields are in the upper right corner.

This edition of the Delisle map of the Americas, first published in 1722, was extensively updated through numerous revisions. It includes the information from Cook’s discoveries in the Northwest and Alaska in an inset “Supplement a la Partie Nord Ouest de l’Amerique d’apres les Decouvertes du Capitaine Cook.” The newly independent United States extends to the Mississippi River in the west and to Florida in the south. In this edition the Privilege is changed from “du Roi” to “l’Auteur Rue des Noyers Garantie Nationale An. 9.” After the French Revolution the Royal arms were erased from the cartouche and replaced by ribbons, the king’s name was removed from the title, and the date (An 9) is the French Republican calendar for 1800.

The island of California? An April Fools myth or just a cartographic error? For more than two centuries, California was depicted as an island even well after explorers debunked the myth. Here are five depictions of California by five important cartographers. Neron Pecci, Sanson, Delisle, Fra. Eusebio Kino (that ended the island myth) and a Spanish map of Jesuit explorations from Miguel Venegas. For other examples, look at the first three maps shown in the World Region.