Colton's Rail-Road and Township Map of Vermont from County Maps and Actual Surveys.

1868 Colton Pocket Map of Vermont w/ Railroads

Publication Date: 1868

About this Item

Very good. Slight wear and toning on old fold lines. Minimal verso reinforcement at many fold intersections. Accompanies original gilt stamped binder. Size 38.75 x 28 Inches. A striking 1868 example of G. W. and C. B. Colton's 1868 pocket map of Vermont. The map is novel as Colton's only large-scale separate-issue map to focus exclusively on Vermont. It is also of interest for its illustration of the Vermont gold region - a little-known chapter in the state's history. A Closer Look Coverage embraces Vermont and adjacent parts of New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Canada. Coverage in New York is expanded to accommodate Lake Champlain, Lake George, and railroad links to the Hudson River. Vermont itself is divided into counties and subdivided into townships. Topography is emphasized with hachure, and major mountains are named, among them Stratton, Killington, and Mansfield (Stowe) - today popular ski resorts. In the lower right, a large inset, reduced from Colton's atlas map of New England, places Vermont within a regional context. Just south, across the border, the Hoosac Tunnel (Hoosic) is illustrated, though the tunnel was still under construction and would not open until 1875. Vermont's Gold Rush One of the more captivating aspects of this map is its treatment of the Vermont gold region. Gold mining in Vermont is a lesser-known chapter in the state's history. While Vermont isn't typically associated with significant gold discoveries, there were sporadic crazes. The primary period of interest occurred in the mid to late 19th century, around the time this map was issued. In the wake of the California Gold Rush, gold fever swept across the country, and even minor discoveries could result in minor rushes. When alluvial deposits were discovered in the Green Mountains, prospectors flocked to Vermont in hopes of striking it rich, particularly in Windsor County. Nonetheless, the overall yield of gold in Vermont was modest, and the mining activity rapidly waned as prospectors moved on to more lucrative areas. Today, historical remnants such as old mine shafts and equipment serve as reminders of Vermont's brief flirtation with gold. Publication History and Census This map was engraved and published in 1868 by Colton's Geographical Establishment under G. W. and C. B. Colton. The map is copyrighted to 1860, but we see no examples of that edition in any records. We do see an 1864 edition in 4 institutions and this 1868 edition in 3: Bennington Museum, Yale University, and the University of Missouri. References: OCLC 1422014813. Bennington Museum, 2007.124. Yale University, Beinecke Library, 8303857.

Seller Inventory # Vermont-colton-1868

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Colton's Rail-Road and Township Map of Vermont from County Maps and Actual Surveys.
• Publication Date: 1868
• Binding: Hardcover
• Seller catalogs:
  • MAINE-VERMONT-NEWHAMPSHIRE