Includes Hitchcock’s First Geological Map of the United States

"[Maps with Report] A Geological Map of the United States and Canada [and] Outline of the Geology of the Globe", Hitchcock, Edward

A. A Geological Map of the United States and Canada (24.1 x 15.8"). This is Hitchcock's landmark map of 1853. Essentially, it is a compilation of Lyell’s map for the eastern portion combined with M. Boue’s Geological Map of the World for the western portion modified by the author’s generalizations derived from the relations of geography to geology, as argued in the report. In this respect, he freely admits that such generalizations for the western US might be greatly erroneous. This map provides early detail of the geological formations. An explanatory key to the colors indicates fifteen geologic types.

B. Outline of the Geology of the Globe (23.3 x 18.3"). Drawn on Mercator's Projection, this map shows the entire world with a separate hemisphere of the "Supposed Antarctic Continent" that locates Wilkes' Land, South Victoria, Enderby Land and Cook's sighting of 1774. This map uses six different colors to locate as many geological types. Along the bottom are the comparative heights of mountains and volcanoes aligned with the position on the map.

These important geological maps are bound in the original report "Outline of the Geology of the Globe, and of the United States in Particular; with Two Geological Maps, and Sketches of Characteristic American Fossils," published by Phillips, Sampson & Company in Boston. Octavo, 136 pages, 6 plates, and 2 folding hand-colored geological maps. Hardbound in brown cloth with blind-stamped decorative elements and gilt title on spine. This work is notable for containing his first attempt at a geological map of the United States. His son C. H. Hitchcock also notes that "the part relating to the United States is the first attempt to show the distribution of rocks from the Atlantic to the Pacific border." It is uncommon to see the report and its two maps together.

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Condition: B

Both maps have scattered foxing. The world map has a 2.5" binding tear at left that has been closed on verso with archival tape, and has been trimmed to just inside the border at top left and to the border at lower right by the binder. The United States map also has a repaired short binding tear at left, and has been trimmed to inside the border at lower left. Text has minor foxing. Covers have light wear and the spine is sunned.