"Mitchell's Travellers Guide Through the United States. A Map of the Roads, Distances, Steam Boat & Canal Routes &c.", Mitchell, Samuel Augustus

This pocket map shows the United States west to the Mississippi River and a little beyond to include a small portion of Missouri Territory. The map is very detailed and features nine insets; namely the Vicinity of Philadelphia, Washington, Charleston, Boston, New York, Cincinnati, Albany, New Orleans plus the Vicinity of the Falls of Niagara. The labyrinth of canals and early roads are clearly shown. The legend shows a dotted line for railroads. The South Carolina Canal and Rail Road (also known as the Charleston & Hamburg Road) is clearly delineated. By 1833 the railroad had been completed to Hamburg, making it the longest railroad in the world at 137 miles. This series of maps, first published in 1832, was designed for the market represented by the burgeoning number of travelers and new immigrants. The maps were printed on thin bank note paper and folded so they could be carried easily for quick reference while traveling. Map folds into original green leather covers with gilt tooling and title, with the original separate Index sheet which unfolds to the same size as the map. The map was "Engraved on steel by J.H. Young & D. Haines" and bears the copyright date of 1834. This is a rare edition given the inclusion of the large folding index sheet rather than the 78-page booklet. The cover is titled Mitchell's Travellers Guide Through the United States.

References: Ristow, p. 304.

Condition: B

Light to moderate offsetting with a few spots of foxing. There are a number of separations along the fold that have been closed with archival material on verso, with minor loss in the title. The map became detached from the boards and has been reattached. The embossed stamp of the Western Reserve and Northern Ohio Historical Society appears above the title and at top right, and the bookplate for the Society is pasted on verso with the name of the donor, Mrs. O. E. Huntington, and dated May 1878.