Railroad Maps of Note

I am pleased to present two beautiful railroad maps that showcase American rail development at the turn of the twentieth century. Each map offers a compelling narrative of the railroads that shaped regional economies and supported national expansion. They have been artfully framed to conservation standards and are ready for display in the home or office of any collector of transportation history or Americana. 

The first map is the 1919 Chicago and Northwestern Railway map, issued by P. F. Collier & Son for inclusion in Collier’s New World Atlas and Gazetteer. Although modest in size, it presents a remarkably comprehensive view of the Chicago and North Western Railway network at a moment when the railway had reached the height of its early twentieth century importance. This map extends from Chicago and Milwaukee across the upper Midwest toward Bellingham and Seattle in the northwest and San Francisco in the southwest. It illustrates the dominant Chicago and North Western routes as well as key connecting lines across Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Additional lines of the Northern Pacific and the Southern Pacific railways provide broader context for the era’s major transcontinental systems. While state borders are intentionally omitted, the map includes a dense labeling of cities and towns that served as critical rail hubs. This map conveys, in compact form, the reach and strategic value of the Chicago and North Western Railway in the years just following WWI.

Historically, the Chicago and North Western Railway played a defining role in the economic development of the American Midwest. Chartered on June 7, 1859, through the merger of several small railroads in Illinois and Wisconsin, it was initially led by William B. Ogden, Chicago’s first mayor. Under the leadership of Marvin Hughitt from 1872 to 1910, the network expanded rapidly from about 1,400 to nearly 10,000 miles of track, primarily serving Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. By the early 20th century, C&NW had become a major transportation artery, connecting Chicago with agricultural and industrial hubs across the upper Midwest.

From 1910 to 1920, the railway played a crucial role in supporting industrial growth, transporting grain, livestock, and manufactured goods while driving labor migration and urban development. Its importance grew further during World War I, when the U.S. government temporarily nationalized railroads under the United States Railroad Administration. During the war, the Chicago and North Western system moved troops and critical supplies across the nation. When private control resumed in 1920, the line emerged stronger and more efficient, its infrastructure and management practices sharpened by wartime demands. The 1919 map captures the network at the culmination of this pivotal decade, making it an excellent acquisition for collectors.

Complementing this offering is the 1899 Poole Brothers map of the Illinois Central Railroad and the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. This large wall map covers the entire continental United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles. Impressively designed, the rail lines of the Illinois Central system are vividly overprinted in red with every stop identified. Major stations are emphasized with red lettering and accompanied by short rail distances to both New York and New Orleans. Illustrating the extraordinarily dense and competitive rail environment of the era, the map also displays numerous other rail networks, with their respective operating companies named at each route. Sea routes extending from New Orleans to ports in the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe are charted with destination names and distances, and several routes originating from Havana are similarly noted. An inset map of Cuba appears in the lower left corner and an inset of Puerto Rico is presented along the right border. The left margin includes an explanatory text block detailing the recent expansion of the Central Mississippi Valley route. 

The map also reflects the expanding footprint of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. Incorporated in 1882 as part of the Illinois Central system, it originally connected Jackson and Yazoo City but soon widened its reach throughout the Mississippi Valley and north to Memphis. Strategic acquisitions, including the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad, enabled the Illinois Central to consolidate its position and eventually create the Louisville, New Orleans, and Texas Railway. 

The Poole Brothers produced this map in 1897 and reissued it in 1899, as offered here. Based in Chicago, the firm was a principal publisher of railroad and travel maps at the time and a direct competitor to Rand McNally. 

The maps are available for purchase on our website and currently on view in our Broadmoor gallery. We welcome inquiries from those interested in acquiring one or both of these significant maps.