"A Geological Map of Massachusetts", Hitchcock, Edward

This 1834 issue is the second edition of Hitchcock's important map. Hitchcock was an eminent professor of chemistry and natural history at Amherst College and was selected in 1830 to conduct a general survey of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The publication of his first report and map in 1832 marked an epoch in American geological work as this was the first survey of an entire state conducted at public expense. Hitchcock made further geological and mineralogical surveys and reprinted this map with revisions up to 1841. This is a very lovely map that has 22 geological formations shown through color and design, plus symbols to further locate deposits of plumbago, coal, iron, lead, copper and manganese. This early lithographed map was published by Pendleton's Lithography, Boston. These maps were issued in small quantities and are seldom seen, particularly in such good condition.

References: Marcou & Marcou No. 200; Phillips (A) p. 401.

Condition: B

A fine impression and color with two tiny edge tears that just pass the neatline at left and have been closed on verso with paper tape. Issued folding with light toning along one fold, a few minor spots, and a couple of extraneous creases in the image. Margins have been trimmed to the border on all sides, with minor loss of neatline at top left.