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Pub Year	Map Maker	Pub Place	Map Title	Map Price (USD)	Picture
1838	Bradford, Thomas Gamaliel	Boston	Louisiana	$450	Picture

Hand-colored outlines, Engraved by G.W. Boynton

Size: Approximately 36 cm x 29 cm (14.1 inches x 11.4 inches). Scale 1 inch = 25 miles.

Map Type: Atlas

 A superior copy with no defects

T.G. Bradford served as an assistant editor of the America Encyclopedia before entering the field of atlas publishing with his first work published in 1835. G.W. Boynton operated an engraving shop in Boston between 1830 and 1845.

A Comprehensive Atlas..., Bradford was able to update his maps, enlarge them and add a descriptive text to each. For map hungry Americans, these were attractive features to those interested in migrating during the burgeoning western expansion of the United States.>

This map is from the 1st edition of An Illustrated Atlas....considered by most to be Bradford's best atlas, far superior to the smaller and more crudely drawn 1835 Comprehensive Atlas.

Just to the east of New Orleans, the short Pontchartrain Railroad can be seen. It opened in April 1831, extending a little more than 5 miles from the Mississippi river. It is thought to be the third rail road to have been built in the U.S.

A little further to the west, in St. James parrish, the location of Jefferson College is noted on the map. It was chartered by the Louisiana legislature in 1831 and built on 65 acres entirely by subscription.

In the north west corner of the map is the city of Shreve Port. Captain Henry Miller Shreve came to the Red River in 1833 to remove a 165 mile long log jam by 1837. This opened the Red River to navigation and made Shreveport an important center of trade and gateway to the West by steam boat.

Taken from An Illustrated Atlas, Geographical, Statistical, And Historical, Of The United States And The Adjacent Countries.

References: A List of Geographical Atlases in the Library of Congress, 1381, Phillips, P.L, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1909; Rumsey List No. 0089; American Maps and Mapmakers, p270-271, Ristow, George, Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1985