County and Township Map of the States of Michigan and Wisconsin

Cataloging growth in the Upper Midwest in the late 1870s.

This beautiful map of Michigan, Wisconsin, and a portion of the Great Lakes was engraved by W.H. Gamble and published by Samuel Augustus Mitchell in 1877. Mitchell was one of the most prominent American mapmakers of the 19th century and initially got involved with cartography as a school teacher who was frustrated with the quality of available maps. He collaborated with skilled engravers and produced high-quality maps and atlases that contained the most up-to-date information available. Mitchell’s son (of the same name) would take over the business after his death in 1860 and continue the tremendous output.

His attention to detail is evident within the image, which provides an engaging snapshot of the two Upper Midwestern states at the end of the Reconstruction Era. County configuration, settlement distribution, and railroad density show much greater development in the southern extremes of both Wisconsin and Michigan.

But the allure of remote timber forests, iron and copper mines, and other valuable resources is gradually opening up the rest of the region, especially in the Upper Peninsula. Maritime transportation routes from primary ports across Lake Michigan are also noted. A fascinating variety of settlements, geographic features, and other locations of interest are labeled throughout the image, which is enclosed by a decorative ivy border.