1859 Deforrest Map Pike's Peak Gold Mines Mail & Emigrant Routes Kansas Colorado

Description

Map of the Gold Region with the Routes Thereto (Colorado/Kansas)
(from)
Harper’s Weekly, April 2, 1859 (single sheet only)
Scarce, original antique, single sheet with a black and white wood engraved “Map of the Route to Pike’s Peak”, drawn by C. R. Deforrest Jr. Issued as part of Harper’s Weekly (April 2, 1859, pages 219 and 220), including a related text article “How to Get to Pike’s Peak Gold Mines”. Extracted from a bound document.
Size: 4 1/8 x 7 1/2 inches (map) on sheet 16 x 11 inches (page)
Creator/Illustrator: C. R. Deforrest Jr.
Early contemporary map of the Pikes Peak Gold Rush region showing the mail and emigrant routes to the gold fields through parts of Kansas and Nebraska Territories in what are mainly now the states of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Also shown are the important embarkation cities of Omaha City, Nebraska City, St. Joseph, and Kansas City, among others, located along the Missouri River; US Army forts along the routes; and destination mining camps of Auraria and Aurora near Cherry Creek, site of the original gold discovery, plus the towns of Pueblo, St. Vrain and Cheyenne. The map and text favor routes along the North Platte and lower Republican/Arkansas Rivers. “Gold Region” is boldly labeled along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with a stippled area denoting the “Line of the Gold Field”. Topography, crudely depicted, is limited to major drainage networks and simplified representations of mountain ranges including familiar landmarks such as Pikes Peak and important mountain passes essential for trans-continental travel.
This is one of the first Colorado Gold Rush maps which, by virtue of its appearance in the popular press, also makes it one of the more obtainable.
The map also appeared in the exceedingly rare “Hand Book to the Gold Fields of Nebraska and Kansas” by Byers and Kellom, which presumably preceded it. The text concludes, “From present appearances, the rush to Pike’s Peak will be tremendous”. A Colorado Gold Rush map that undoubtedly helped swell the rush
Condition: Single page with light age toning, a short edge tear or two and some roughness to the bound edge. There are a few faint, short diagonal creases near the bottom edge. Very good condition overall.