"Explorations and Surveys South of Central Pacific R. R. War Department Preliminary Topographical Map Embracing in skeleton a portion only of the Notes from Surveys…", Wheeler, George (Lt)

This map was the result of Wheeler's spectacular exploration of 1871. The sudden emergence of the Interior Department's civilian surveys posed a major threat to the military's mapping and exploration efforts. Wheeler, barely 30 years of age, was tasked to gather information and produce a highly accurate map of the area. This he accomplished and in so doing conceived of the U.S. Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian of which this map is the forerunner. Very detailed with scores of mining districts located and named. Wheat refers to it as a "map of great interest." Wheeler was modest regarding the map's construction and in the notations announce that the map "is a hasty and partial compilation from the topographical data already received, many still remaining en route." The map displays a portion of Nevada together with parts of California, Utah and Arizona, as bounded by Tucson, San Bernardino and the Sierra Nevadas, St. George, and north to Mountain City, above Elko. A very nice example of this increasingly difficult to find map.

References: Wheat [TMW] 1237.

Condition: A

Issued folding, now pressed and backed with archival tissue. Very light toning at one fold and a couple tiny losses of paper at folds, else fine.