During the 1850s, the U.S. government sponsored an extensive series of expeditions designed to gather information on the vast new territories that had been acquired in western North America. The discovery of gold in California further stimulated westward traffic and heightened the need for a faster and more convenient way to bring the far-flung parts of the country together. In 1853 Congress commissioned the Army's Topographic Bureau to conduct a series of surveys to find a suitable route for a transcontinental railroad. There were six major expeditions; five of them covered the area between the Great Plains and west coast, and the sixth explored the coastal states of California and Oregon. All of these expeditions were accompanied by naturalists and artists to document the landscape, flora and fauna along the route. The reports, maps and lithographs were published in the 13 volume report "Explorations and Surveys to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a Railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific Ocean."

Extremely detailed map with very fine hachure to indicate mountainous elevations. The map extends from Brown's Hole east of today's Vernal to the Great Salt Lake and south to below Fillmore. Locates the Emigrant Road to California. Several Proposed Railroad lines are shown. One crosses the Green near Black's Fork, continues past Fort Bridger (Wyoming) and along the Weber River to Ogden City where it turns south. Another railroad leaves the Wasatch Mountains via Timpanogas Canyon, and another heads west from the Oquirrh Mountains. Wheat considers this an excellent map "due in large part to Egloffstein's work as Topographer for the Route."

References: Wheat (TMW) #822.

Condition: B

Issued folding, now backed with Japanese tissue to reinforce fold separations. Some light toning at folds.