This large, brightly colored map is an early and fine example of American lithography. It features the large territorial borders characteristic of this period. The distances along the Oregon Route (Oregon Trail) are noted in miles beginning at Westport Landing. Kearny's route to Santa Fe and on to the Colorado River are shown. Oregon occupies the entire Northwest, extending to the Continental Divide. A huge Nebraska Territory stretches from the Continental Divide to a large Minnesota Territory at the Missouri River. Utah and New Mexico Territories are shown at their largest extent. An oddly shaped Indian Territory extends north from Texas up to Nebraska Territory.

Wheat notes that the map exhibits some of the features from Colton's map in the 1852 Horn's Guide. Brophy's Cutoff is shown between the Humboldt River and the City of Rocks landmark as well as Brophy's Rancho on the Yuba River. He also suggests that some student may want to look into who this Brophy was. For what it's worth, these place names are in the Linda Township in Yuba County, near Ousley's Bar and the Yuba Dam, where a little mining town grew up. In this area, in 1850, John Rose created his ranch on seventy acres where he raised a crop of barley that year. Later in 1850 John Brophy bought the upper mile of Rose's ranch, and opened a hotel. In 1853, Brophy returned east to get his family. A school house was built and named the Brophy School in 1855. This compelling information has very little to do with the map, but your faithful cataloger felt compelled to rise to Mr. Wheat's challenge.

References: Wheat (TMW) #787.

Condition: A

Fine impression with bright original, full wash coloring. A little toning on folds, still very good for a folding map of this size and period. Encapsulated in archival Mylar.