Mitchell’s Traveller’s Guide through the United States

Spectacular transportation overview of the United States and its major cities during the 1830s.

This fascinating pocket map from 1834 depicts the eastern half of the United States, stretching from Texas, then still part of Mexico, and the Missouri Territory eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. It includes only the northern part of Florida. The map labels major cities, roadways, canals, and various geographic features, and was clearly designed with the traveler in mind.

During the early 19th century, European-American settlers were expanding westward toward—and eventually beyond—the Mississippi River. As one of the most popular and comprehensive maps of the period, this map likely played a role in the journeys of many westward migrants.

In the upper left quadrant, three inset maps show the vicinity of New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Albany. The lower right quadrant contains five additional inset maps, detailing the areas around Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, and Charleston. The Great Lakes region appears at the top center and is rendered in excellent detail, with Lake Michigan notably presented in an elongated form. An inset map north of Lake Ontario shows the vicinity of Niagara Falls.

Originally issued by Mitchell in 1832, this example of the important map and guide was revised in 1834 and reissued nearly every year until 1849. It comes with its original red leather binder, which includes a fold-out index approximately the same size as the map itself. The map was engraved onto a steel plate by Mitchell’s associates, J.H. Young and D. Haines.