Map of the City of New York 1856
D.T. Valentine, 1856.
Map. Lithograph with hand coloring. Lined on verso with restoration tissue for stability. Image measures 16 x 20 1/2 inches.
This beautiful map of New York City was issued in the 1856 edition of Valentine's Manual of the Corporation of New York and features fire districts. The map essentially divides Manhattan into two sections to fit on a single sheet. The lower map extends from the Battery to 57th Street while the upper map extends north from 57th street to Spuyten Dyvill Creek in what is today Inwood. Both maps identify streets, parks, squares, piers, ferry lines, forts, etc. City wards, and fire districts are numbered and outlined in color and corporation and private piers are labeled. Lower Manhattan, which was far more populated than the northern parts at the time, reveals far more detail with blocks shaded in and important individual buildings identified. Blackwell's Island (Roosevelt Island), Ward's Island and Randel's Island are also identified. The proposed area for Central Park is shown. Many ferry routes to Brooklyn are noted. This edition of the map was lithographed by G. Hayward and issued in the 1856 edition of the "Manual of The Corporation of the City of New York."
David Thomas Valentine (1801-1869) served as the Deputy to the Clerk of the Common Council for thirty-seven years and began publishing the "Manual for the Corporation of the City of New York" in 1841. The Manuals were directories of extensive historical and contemporary records of New York that included facts about the City of New York, city history, city council information, and reported on the progress of public works such as Central Park. Popularly called Valentine's Manuals, the texts were richly illustrated with maps, lithographs, and engravings. This map provides a fascinating look at the rapid development of New York City.
Binding: Unbound
Language: English
Price: $400.00
Item #337309