Mouth of the Columbia River
Washington: U. S. Coast Survey Office, 1851.
Sea chart. Uncolored lithograph. Sheet measures 27 x 17"
This 1851 U.S. Coast Survey nautical chart details the mouth of the Columbia River, marking the border between Washington and Oregon. It covers the area from Cape Disappointment (Cape Hancock) and Grays Point in Washington to Point Adams and Tongue Point in Oregon, including the township of Astoria. The chart features extensive bathymetry, depth soundings, and sailing directions, along with notes on tides, currents, and hazards. The upper right quadrant includes a detailed illustration of the river's entrance at Cape Hancock. The chart was supervised by A. D. Bache, with hydrography by W. P. McArthur and W. A. Bartlett. In good condition with minor verso repairs along original fold lines. Some toning along folds.
Alexander Dallas Bache (1806-1867) was a prominent surveyor and the superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey from 1843 to 1865. A great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin, Bache was deeply committed to advancing American science and navigation. He successfully lobbied Congress for funding, allowing the Coast Survey to achieve significant milestones. Bache continued the rigorous scientific principles established by his predecessor, Ferdinand Hassler, and played a crucial role in the development of sea charts that served both scientific and military purposes. Additionally, Bache was a founding figure in the American Academy of Sciences, further solidifying his impact on the scientific community.
The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey was first established in 1807 and is the oldest scientific organization in the U.S Government. After the Civil War, the bureau took responsibility for mapping and conducting geodetic surveys of the the interior of the expanding country. Over the course of the 19th century, the survey worked closely with the U.S. Navy to produce sea charts of the country's coasts, harbors, and waters that could serve scientific as well as military functions. The first superintendent, Ferdinand Hassler, set the foundation for the Survey's rigorous scientific standards, employing advanced techniques and a labor-intensive triangulation system to ensure accuracy. His successor, Alexander Dallas Bache, expanded the Survey's influence, securing funding and overseeing its most critical work from 1843 to 1865. The organization evolved into the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1878 and is now part of NOAA as the National Geodetic Survey.
Binding: Unbound
Language: English
Price: $250.00
Item #323140