Map of the Province of Canada and the Lower Colonies Shewing the Connection by Steam Navigation with New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, & Minnesota, and with Europe…

Chicago as the gateway between British Canada and the American West.

This fascinating mid-19th-century map highlights the interconnected system of the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and the rapidly expanding network of local railroads and canals. Through the vast region flowed masses of commodities annually along rail, water, and road; including ore, coal, timber, grain, and cotton. Passenger services were on the rise, as emigrants from Europe (notably Ireland, Italy, and Germany) used the coastal ports and inland urban centers as congregating points.

Chicago is obviously well-positioned as an important crossroads for much of this traffic, contributing to its precipitous growth in the latter half of the century. Significant infrastructure funding (locks, dams, bridges, etc.) was required to keep the goods and people moving effectively. The profile of the St. Lawrence River in the upper right hints at such necessities, highlighting the vast differences in elevation between Lake Superior (left) and Quebec (right).

Investment and international recognition of Canada’s future potential was the impetus behind the map’s creation. It was designed by Thomas Keefer and printed in Montreal by George Matthews in 1855. It was designed for use by the Canadian Commissioners of the Paris Exhibition, held that same year as the second ‘World’s Fair.’ (the first being the 1851 Great Exhibition in London).