United States of America the British Provinces, Mexico...

Large engraved folding map surrounded by a decorative grapevine border interspersed with twelve insets and a large American eagle in front of a port.
The map's coverage extends from Canada to Colombia, inclusive of all of the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies.

This edition includes 2 short-lived western territorial anomalies, the "Uninhabited" lands between New Mexico and Chihuahua and the block of land between Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas, which would later be split between Kansas. Including the "Public Land Strip" or No mans Land in Indian Territory.  The Chickasaw Nation established its Constitution Family and community have always played a major role in the survival and prosperity of our Chickasaw people. This sense of belonging to a greater whole translated itself into a stronger national pride. The Chickasaw Nation established its Constitution of 1856 during huge gatherings at Good Spring (now Tishomingo, Oklahoma), and we established our own territory in present-day, south-central Oklahoma.
Despite numerous challenges and occasional setbacks, our Chickasaw people continued to create new ways to protect and manage the new lands and water and to protect wildlife and natural resources. Shortly after the forced removal from our Southeastern Homeland, homes were rebuilt, farms recreated, communities and businesses reestablished, churches and even commissioned schools re-erected. Infrastructure sprang up out of the land, connecting towns and creating new roads. Industry and commerce became a way of life. A governor was chosen, rather than a chief, to serve as the “supreme executive power.

Inset maps: - "The Isthmus or Panama showing the routes of travel between Chagres & Panama". - "A map of the Atlantic Ocean showing the American & European ports and the routes of the Atlantic steamers".The elaborate grapevine borders, including 12 vignettes of various places of interest, including  : Willammette Falls, Oregon -- Astoria, Oregon -- Saratoga Lake, New York -- Valley of the Connecticut from Mt. Holyoke -- Bunker Hill Monument Boston, Mass. -- Washington Monument New York -- Capitol, Washington City -- Entrance of a port -- Mexicans catching wild cattle -- -- Cathedral, City of Mexico -- Pulaski Monument Savannah, Ga. -- Pulaski Monument Savannah, Ga. --- Battle Monument Baltimore, Md.

In the 1850s, J.H. Colton published several separately issued maps of the United States, including his  "pocket map edition," the "wall map" edition and this very rare medium sized wall map version, which was available either in 2-sheets or dissected and laid on linen (as offered here). Colton's maps offered one of the most up to date and comprehensive views of the United States and were revised at least annually, often more than once a year, as information flowed in from the early Western Surveys sponsored by the United States Government and as new territories were created and regions opened up to settlement.

The present map shows the region west of the Mississippi River immediately before the Gadsden Purchase, including the newly formed Washington Territory (1853), Kansas Territory (1854), and Minnesota Territory (1849) and revised configurations for Nebraska Territory and Oregon Territory (which did not gain statehood until 1859). The map is richly updated with the best available information from the west. These include the New York - Boston - Halifax - Liverpool route. Various other routes run from the Havana to Madeira and spider-web throughout the West Indies. No fewer than 15 decorative ships, including both tall ships and steam vessels, decorate the seas. The dramatic cartouche image includes a large Bald Eagle sitting astride a stars and stripes armorial shield and various trade goods.

A bustling port scene appears in the background. Colton first issued this map in 1849. Another edition followed later in 1849 in anticipation of the Compromise of 1850 and including updates relating to the explorations of Fremont and the discovery of Gold at Sutter's Mill. Subsequent editions were prepared annually until about 1859. While the early editions of the map appear on the market periodically, this mid-1850s example is very rare.