Rare Civil War Distance Map

"Distance Maps. Map of the Atlantic States Showing 50 Mile Distances from Washington...", Prang, Louis

This scarce Civil War broadside includes 5 maps and statistical information from the 1860 census. This sheet was designed to illustrate the theater of the war that was engulfing the nation and to highlight the recent major battlefields. The largest map, Map of the Atlantic States, Showing 50 Mile Distances from Washington, is centered on Washington DC and shows 50 mile distances in concentric circles from the capital. Existing and proposed railroads are noted, along with forts. The smaller maps at top and bottom include Map of the Battle Ground [at Manassas], Map of Norfolk Harbor, Fort Monroe, and Vicinity, Position of Forces at Bull Run, and Fortress Monroe. This is one of Prang’s earliest war maps, issued just months after the start of the war. Prang was clearly looking to expand his business with messaging at bottom: "Agents wanted to sell this, and other Maps, and War Publications."

Louis Prang, a lithographer in Boston, became well-known for his Civil War maps. Prang used a clever marketing program to promote his maps. They were distributed at newsstands or as a premium for newspaper subscribers and accompanied by red and blue colored pencils with which the user could plot the progress of the armies. Due to their ephemeral nature, these maps are quite rare today especially in good condition. There are only 2 listings of this map being for sale in the last 30 years.

References: Stephenson (Civil War) #15; Rumsey #5440.000.

Condition: B

Folded by a previous owner with some faint dampstains mostly at left. There are archival repairs to a couple fold separations at top and to a couple of edge chips in the far right blank margin. Small remnants of old tape are confined to the top and bottom sheet edge from a previous framing.