A Clear Depiction of the Western Frontier of the United States in the Mid-1800s.

Colton’s Map of Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota & Indian Territory

By: Joseph Hutchins Colton

Date: 1864 (Published) New York

Dimensions: 17 x 27 inches (43.2 x 68.6 cm)

This scarce Civil War era map of the US mid-continent was probably printed only from 1864 to 1866, with minor changes. The map covers the upper half of Texas, eastern half of Colorado and an unusually shaped Dakota, predating Wyoming and Montana. In 1865 Montana was added to the map, and it was updated with additional counties. The map is highly detailed, with rivers, lakes, routes of explorers, forts, settlements, towns and railroad lines. There are large Indian reservations depicted in the Indian territory,and many Indian nations are named in the location of their settlements, with most of Nebraska and Kansas still denoted as Indian lands.

Rapid settlement and growth took place in this region during that period of time. The old Missouri Territory was remolded to become Nebraska Territory and Kansas Territory. In 1861, Kansas attained statehood, while the Nebraska Territory, lost two-thirds of its land to the newly created Dakota Territory, and the Territory of Colorado was created. Western parts of states along the Mississippi River are depicted demonstrating the considerable development which had already taken place there. Other areas which had experienced similar development were the eastern parts of Kansas and Nebraska, and eastern Texas.

This is a scarce map which rarely appears on the market. Of particular interest is the graphic portrayal of the "Great Route to California and Oregon via South Pass," extending from Omaha to Fort Laramie and beyond. Within the same section of the map, one can find a proposed route of the Pacific Railroad. This railroad would play an integral role in the idea of "Manifest Destiny" and unite the country from coast to coast, propelling the nation to prosperity through industry, shortly after the most devastating war in America's history.

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