"Johnson's California, with Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona", Johnson and Ward

Johnson’s maps of the American Southwest occupy a temporal crossroads in the cartographic history of the United States after California statehood, before the adjacent territories formalized their boundaries, and before the transcontinental railroad was completed. The many different states of this map show dramatic and rapid changes. Besides the transitional territorial boundaries, the maps are of interest for the depiction of Pony Express routes, wagon trails, military expedition routes, the locations of gold and silver mines, Indian tribes, and much more relating to the geography and history of the region.

The primarily Texan immigrants in the southern part of New Mexico sought to form a separate territory as early as 1856. But it wasn’t until the organization of the Confederate Territory of Arizona that serious consideration was given to the territory in congress in 1863. The formation of the territory with a north-south border at the 109th meridian rather than an east-west one had the effect of splitting the Confederate support and securing the region where gold had been recently discovered in the Bradshaw Mountains.

This map shows the new Arizona Territory with county structure still reflecting New Mexico counties. Nevada Territory’s eastern boundary has moved to the 115th meridian and several new counties have been formed. This is a completely new plate with significantly altered topographical information. Published 1864-66.

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Condition: B+

Contemporary color on a lightly toned sheet with minor foxing and a number of centerfold separations that have been repaired on verso with archival materials.