Historic Railroad Map of the Midwest - 1855
Description
This outline map of the north-central United States was published in 1855 by D.B. Cooke & Co. It features the railroad network of the era, both in operation and in progress. Shown are boundaries, waterways, and major stations with distances noted. Included are portions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, Canada.
In the mid-1800's the area now known as Ontario was called Canada West. An economic boom was occurring in Central Canada as railroads expanded and importation laws relaxed.
A large boom in the construction of railroads was also occurring in Illinois during the time of this map's publishing. At that time agricultural resources of Illinois included cattle, hogs, grain and other farming products as well as a number of dependent branch manufactures such as milling, slaughtering, packing, rendering, soap and candle making, tanning, brewing and distilling. Millions of dollars were expended on thousands of miles of railroads within the borders of Illinois during this era of expansion. Most of which had been done by private capital.
The population of Illinois was reported as 477,000 in 1840 and 851,470 in 1850. Indiana’s overspending to enhance its own livability had overburdened state financing and it was being forced into bankruptcy by 1850. The state had heavily invested in the building of roads, canals, railroads, and an expensive state-run school system. Voters officially enacted a new state constitution in 1851. The goal of this new constitution was to reduce the cost of government, through officials’ salary reductions, and increasing its efficiency.
By 1850 Ohio railroads began to replace canals as the preferred method of transportation. Railroads in that state continued to add mileage as canal use and maintenance began to decline. Toledo became a prominent center for several railroad companies. Toledo was founded along the west bank of the Maumee River in 1833. It grew as a canal junction town, as the Miami and Erie Canal and other connecting canals merged there. Later with its position along the railway between New York and Chicago, Toledo prospered greatly. By the 1850's the town maintained several furniture manufacturers, a number of carriage makers and a variety of breweries. Toledo was a major glassmaking town during that era, producing windows, bottles and glass art.
Materials
Archive Paper
Premium fine art paper that provides accurate color reproduction with high-contrast, high-resolution print output and maximum image permanence. A high-quality print ready for framing.
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- Museum quality paper for high-quality fine art.
- Ultra smooth, neutral white matte finish.
- Heavy-weight 230 gsm, 9.5 mil thickness.
- Printed with pigment inks for longer print life and enhanced fade resistance.
- Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
Luster Photo Paper
A premium semi-gloss photo paper with a subtle texture that produces a vivid, richly detailed print. This material results in an exquisitely detailed giclee print of substantially higher quality than a standard poster.
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- Printed on 10 mil premium luster photo paper resulting in a brilliant, colorful image with a vivid life-like quality.
- Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
- Inks have a lightfastness rating of over 100 years, guaranteeing minimal noticeable fading over a very long period of time.
- Printed using very high resolution source files.
- Giclee printing is superior to traditional lithography in a number of ways: colors are brighter, lasts longer, and is a higher resolution.
Canvas on Wood Rails
A canvas giclee print is mounted to wooden hanging rails placed along the top and bottom of the map. Ready to hang on the wall using the attached hanging cord. Wood rails feature a natural finish.
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- Premium 19 mil canvas material.
- Wood rails are 1 1/8" wide, round front.
- USA sourced solid maple wood.
- High quality giclee fine art print with a lightfastness rating of over 100 years.
- Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
Canvas Gallery Wrap
A high quality canvas giclee print is hand stretched over a sturdy wood frame. Printed on demand and handcrafted in Seattle, WA. The canvas gallery wrap serves as a stunning piece of art ready to hang on your wall.
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- Premium 19 mil canvas material.
- Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
- High quality giclee fine art print with a lightfastness rating of over 100 years.
- Durable canvas mounted to a 1" deep wood frame.
- Ready to hang with included easy-to-use hanging kit.