Catalog Archive
Auction 128, Lot 306

"San Luis Valley. Cheap Homes in the Garden of the Rocky Mountains [on verso] Map of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, Showing Stage Lines, All Principal Mining Camps and San Luis Valley", Rand McNally & Co.

Subject: Colorado

Period: 1881 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Black & White

Size:
10 x 14.5 inches
25.4 x 36.8 cm
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Very rare, early Colorado double-sided land promotion map. The only other known copy is in the Denver Public Library's collection. The San Luis Valley map is subtitled "Cheap Homes in the Garden of the Rocky Mountains." It uses shading to show lands owned by the Company and available for purchase; other areas are identified as government land. The map, compiled and drawn by Walter H. Graves, is a highly detailed look at the area including the towns of Del Norte, Monte Vista, Bloomfield, Antonita, Manassa, Alamosa, Newcomb, Richfield, La Jara, Veteran City and Saguache with every township shown. Names the Sangre de Cristo and Luis Maria Baca land grants, San Luis Lakes and more. The Denver & Rio Grande RR map on verso extends from Santa Fe in the south to Denver in the northeast. Locates Taos, Durango, Silverton, Pagosa Springs, Crested Butte, Leadville, Kokomo and much more. At this point the rail lines are extensive and reach into much of the region and certainly to all mining areas. The termini of several spurs include Kokomo, Red Cliff, Ruby, Wagon Wheel Gap, Silverton, San Juan City (New Mexico), and at the Coal Mine and Coke Ovens just south of El Moro. Graves had been an Indian inspector, the Superintendent of Irrigation, Indian Department, and involved in land development of Arapaho lands. Printed by the American Bank Note Company and engraved by Rand, McNally, Chicago. A superbly desirable map for the collector of Colorado material.

References:

Condition: B

Very dark, early impression, full margins on thin paper. With long fold splits and tiny loss at two fold intersections. Presently encapsulated in Mylar to support the map.

Estimate: $150 - $250

Sold for: $375

Closed on 5/20/2009

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