Scarce, Early Survey of Pensacola, Florida

"Pensacola Harbor and Bar. Florida. Surveyed in 1822", Kearney, James (Major)

This large, scarce, early survey of the bar, harbor and bay at Pensacola was conducted simultaneously with possession of the Florida Territory by the United States in 1822. This transfer from Spain had been authorized in 1819 by the Adams-Onis Treaty. Pensacola Bay had long been recognized as the best and most defensible harbor on the Gulf of Mexico, beginning with the attempted occupation by the Spanish in 1559 of the first European settlement in the United States. After gaining control over Florida in the 1763 Treaty of Paris at the conclusion of the French and Indian War, Britain divided Florida into East and West colonies with Pensacola as the capital of West Florida. The largest battle ever fought in Florida was at Pensacola in May of 1781 with Spain defeating the English and thereafter taking control again over Florida. While the survey was concluded in 1822, it was not officially published until 1836 as an outgrowth of interest in establishing an inland canal from Pensacola to Mobile Bay, and from there a safe interior route to New Orleans and the Mississippi River. This map shows the area from the Grand Lagoon and Foster's Island (present-day Perdido Key) to the Corporation of Pensacola. Drawn on a scale of 1" = 1/4 miles with great detail and hundreds of soundings. Also shown is the terminal of the proposed railroad from Columbus, GA. Four sheets joined and folding, as issued. This enormous, detailed survey is quite scarce, as it was not published in many copies of the government reports, and should not be confused with the smaller scale map reduction published in 1835, prior to official publication of this chart.

References: Claussen & Friis #35; Koepp # I-16-2-6.

Condition: B

Nice impression, close trimmed at sides, as issued. There are some short marginal tears, scattered foxing, and toning along the vertical join line. A few folds have been closed with archival tissue repair.