Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Map of Virginia

Hand colored map of Virginia surrounded by 19th century facts and statistics on the state.

This detailed map of Virginia provides a comprehensive overview of the state at the end of the first quarter of the 19th century. Industrialization had begun to take hold across America, and infrastructure improvements to facilitate the transportation of goods and people are reflected across the image in turnpikes and canals. The imposing topography of the state, which would ultimately significantly contribute to its separation during the Civil War, is boldly shown pictorially. The locations of important battle sites are noted with bright red flags, and the Cape Henry Lighthouse is also identified.

The map was engraved by Young & Delleker and issued as sheet number 22 in the 1826 edition of Carey & Lea’s Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas. This important American publication was issued in six separate editions and three different languages between 1822 and 1827. It was heavily influenced by an earlier European atlas by Emmanuel Las Cases (published under the pseudonym A. Lesage.), which inspired the format of a base map surrounded by blocks of informative text and tables of statistics.

Henry Carey, a political economist and the son of prominent publisher Matthew Carey, and his brother-in-law Isaac Lea incorporated this novel theme into their atlas, which focused entirely on the countries of the Western Hemisphere. It was issued at a time of tremendous political change in both North and South America, and the detailed maps accompanied by extensive text provide a unique, often insightful, perspective on the problems and possibilities of the Americas in the first quarter of the 19th century.