"Territory of New Mexico", Rogers & Johnston

The map is from one of the more unusual atlases produced in the 19th century. A result of a collaboration between a Scotsman (Johnston), American Professor Henry Darwin Rogers, and their English publisher Edward Stanford. All of the maps were drawn on a scale of 54.5 miles per inch and each were derived from the large Map of The United States, British & Central America, also drawn in 1857 by Rogers and Johnston . Precisely engraved and very detailed, this map shows New Mexico Territory at its largest size as it includes all of Arizona and parts of Nevada and Colorado. It shows the early strip counties whose boundaries lie along lines of latitude with most having no regard for the natural topography. This is the edition which carries the hand stamped note "Proposed Pacific Railroad Routes in Purple" below the title and distance scale. The proposed railroad is indeed finely hand colored in purple, showing two main proposed routes and a few sub-routes. The map also has good detail of terrain via hachure and very early watershed. The Colorado River is shown in mostly a straight line, a common error for the time. Locates numerous Indian tribes and pueblos including several different tribes of the Apache and the mesas of the Hopi (Moquis). Locates gold, silver and copper mines in the region. A fabulous and rare map of the Southwest, it is the only commercial atlas map to show New Mexico Territory by itself.

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Condition: A

The map image is fine with no flaws and is beautifully colored and engraved. Short centerfold split in top and bottom margins, closed on verso with archival tape. Upper right corner with small loss of paper.