An Early and Rare Wall Map of El Paso

"Official Map of El Paso Texas", August Gast Bank Note & Litho. Co.

This large-format map presenting the street grid pattern of the city was compiled by City Engineer George C. Wimberly and "was adopted as the official map of the City of El Paso" on July 20th, 1899. It was issued during a time of tremendous growth for the city. When the railroads arrived in the early 1880s, El Paso's population grew from a few hundred to an active frontier community of 10,000 by 1890. By 1910, the population had grown to over 39,000. With the surge in settlement, the city expanded its footprint by annexing the surrounding lands. The map is color-coded to show these additions, which include Campbell, Satterthwaite, Mundy, Alexander, Magoffin, Franklin Heights, and Pierce Finley. Three railroad companies are shown occupying significant tracks of land within the city limits including the El Paso & Rio Grande, Texas & Pacific, and the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio railways. Additional details include Old Fort Bliss in the top left corner, numerous parks, stockyards, a school block, and courthouse to name a few. Published by August Gast Bank Note & Lithography in St. Louis. We found only one other example offered for sale in the last 40 years and one institutional example held at the Texas General Land Office.

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Condition: C+

The map has been professionally mounted on heavy linen with numerous cracks and chips throughout. All chips have been repaired or replaced, with the majority of the facsimile work along a 4" section at top and along the bottom border (some of the city block pattern at top was not redrawn). Despite these imperfections, the map presents well as a result of the expert conservation work.