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By
S. Augustus Mitchell and J.H. Young, circa 1835
This highly desirable map, published on the eve of the Texas Revolution,
is one of the most colorful maps of Texas ever published. The influx
of colonist to Texas in the 1830's fueled a demand for maps of the
region. Fervent interest in events west of the Sabine prompted publisher
S. Augustus Mitchell to publish eight versions of this map between
1835 and 1845. Following Stephen F. Austin's landmark map of 1830,
New York and Philadelphia publishers began to issue similar maps
to meet the public demand. One of the earliest and most important
of these was the Mitchell-Young map.
In this version, Texas is shown divided into the various empresario
grants under the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas and is smaller
than the area claimed by Texas after independence. The southern
boundary of Texas is the Nueces River. The territory north of the
Red River is attached to Santa Fe formerly New Mexico.
The detailed inset texts give contemporary information concerning
Texas including how to buy land, a reference to the growing population,
the political movement for a Texas government separate from Coahuila,
and a glowing report on the resources of Texas including the following:
"Texas is one of the finest stock countries in the world. Cattle
are raised in great abundance and with but little trouble."
Guarantees are made such as: "New settlers are exempt from
the payment of the usual taxes for the term of 10 years." Other
texts discuss the probability of navigating the Texas waterways
by steam and bragging that the Brazos River is considered equal
in fertility to any river in the world. The desire to encourage
prospective settlers to Texas is present throughout the map, especially
in the following phrase: "advantages which doubtless will at
no distant period render (Texas) an opulent and powerful State."
$785 framed replica map with darkwood, approximately
44" x 38 "
$485 unframed replica map
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