Map of Public Surveys in Nevada Territory

Earliest obtainable separate map of the Nevada Territory, published in 1862 and focused on the Lake Tahoe area.

This is a fine example of the first government survey of the Nevada Territory, organized in 1861 as a separate entity from the Utah Territory. Progress is clearly focused on the western portion of the state, around Lake Bigler (Lake Tahoe) and Carson City. The emphasis on this region is due to the discovery of the Comstock Lode on Mount Davidson, outside of Virginia City in 1859. The first large silver ore discovery in the United States, the Comstock Lode brought a rush of mining fever not seen since the California Gold Rush and contributed greatly to the development of the territory. Several mining related locations are noted, along with ranches, springs, and what few roads were available to travelers at the time.