1865 "Johnson's Washington, Oregon and Idaho" Map by Johnson and Ward

Presented is an original 1865 "Johnson's Washington, Oregon and Idaho” map. This map was issued as page 65 in the 1865 edition of “Johnson's New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas.” The map is engraved, with attractive hand coloring and a decorative strapwork border. The state of Oregon and the Territory of Washington are colored by county. Colored with a light wash are Idaho and Dakota Territory. Depicted but not colored are the neighboring states and territories of California, Nevada, Utah, and the British Possessions to the north. 

The map is beautifully detailed. Rivers and mountain ranges are all maped and labeled. There is a printer’s error on Washington, with “Wash-ington” spelled in full with a hyphen, printed well past Washington’s borders, and also an additional “ington” printed below the first“Wash-ington.”There is very little development in east Oregon. There is no differentiation or border between Idaho and Dakota Territory.  A marked "Northern Route of the Pacific Railroad as Proposed by Gov. Stevens" is noted, along with popular wagon routes, Native American tribes, forts, and some elevation data. 

This 1865 Johnson and Ward publication of “Johnson's New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas” was written by Richard Swainson Fisher, M.D. Fisher was also the author of "Colton's General Atlas of the World," "The Gazetteer of the United States," and a past editor of the Journal of American Geographical and Statistical Society. The publishing company of Johnson and Ward was a successor to Johnson and Browning, themselves a successor to the famous publishing company, J. H. Colton and Company. A combination of both new plates and older, updated ones, all of the maps in this atlas were compiled, drawn, and engraved under the supervision of J. H. Colton and A. J. Johnson. The new plates, copyrighted by A.J. Johnson, were made exclusively for Johnson's New Illustrated Family Atlas. Others are the same as used in "Colton's General Atlas." 

This early 1865 issued atlas offered a really unique and timely snapshot of the United States just after the Civil War. In addition to the maps, the atlas had several pages of American history, recent federal census data, and geographical and statistical notes. The highlight was its “Chronological History of the Civil War in America” with battle records and dates. It also contained updates on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and subsequent pursuit and death of John Wilkes Booth and included two Civil War-era maps, one of the “Vicinity of Richmond and Peninsular Campaign in Virginia” and the “New Military Map of the United States.” 

CONDITION: 

Fine condition overall. Hand Colored. Plate 65 from “Johnson's New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas.” Strapwork border. Colored by county in Washington and Oregon.  Colored with a watercolor wash in Idaho and Dakota Territory. Uncolored in neighboring states and territories of California, Nevada, Utah, and British Possessions. Printer error in Washington.  Toning, few areas of foxing. Loss to bottom margin. Archivally presented with acid-free mats. Sold unframed, as-is. 

Mat Dimensions: 17 3/4" H x 21 3/8" W. 

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.