Description
Long Island was among the first areas in the New World reached by European settlers. The town of Southampton on the eastern tip was settled in 1640. The island and its coast were mapped in the 18th century by the British up to the time of the Revolutionary War. The best-known sea charts were made for the British Admiralty by F.W. des Barres. In the 19th century, a concerted effort began in the America to map the interior of the United States. This mid-19th century map was a joint effort by W.W. Mather, a geologist, and the surveyor J. Calvin Smith, also well known for his huge wall map of the State of New York. By the end of the 19th century, the Long Island Railroad was actively promoting development on the island and issued many maps to encourage New York City residents to build houses and farms east of the city.
Condition: Generally very good, with the usual overall light toning, wear handling. Folds as issued, the folds now flattened for framing.
References:
Allen, David Yehling. Long Island Maps and Their Makers. Mattituck, NY: Amereon House, 1997. pp. 94-97.
