File:North-west-Coast of North America and adjacent Territories Compiled from the best authorities under the direction of Robert (MAPS 42).jpg

Copper engraving.

Mounted on cloth.

Relief shown by hachures.

Printed in center above bottom border: "The North-west-Coast of North America and adjacent Territories compiled from the best authorities under the direction of Robert Greenhow to accompany his Memoir on the Northwest Coast Published by order of the Senate of the United States drawn by David H. Burr. Note. The names of places on the border of the map show their respective Latitudes."

Printed in north Pacific Ocean is an inset map of North Pacific Ocean showing islands, eastern coast of Asia and western coast of North America.

Printed next to title is an imprint of a medal from 1787 given to two ships bound to explore the northwest coast of North America, the "Columbia" and "Washington," commanded by J. Kendrick with the legend: "Fac-Simile of a Medal struck at Boston in 1787 on occasion of the departure of the vessels Columbia and Washington for the North West Coast of America, taken from one of the original Medals, deposited by the Hon. C. Cushing, in the Library of the Department of State of the United States."

Printed at top of map along longitude 140 degrees west: "Boundary between Gt. Britain 7 Russia by Convention of 1825."

Printed at approximately latitude 41 degrees north in northwest United States: "boundary between united States & Spain by treaty of 1818."

Printed at approximately latitude 47 degrees north: "Between the United States and Great Britain by treaty of 1818."

Shows California peninsula as "Old California" and northern California as "New California." Labels modern-day British Columbia as "New Caledonia." Shows Alaska as "Russian Possession." Depicts a range of mountains near California as the "Snow Mountains."

Prime Meridian: Greenwich and Washington, D.C.

Scale c.a. 1:12,250,000.

David H. Burr (1803-1875) was Topographer to the Post Office and Geographer to the House of Representatives of the United States Congress. His works include “Universal Atlas” (1835), “Atlas New York” (1829), “American Atlas” (1839), “United States” (1842), “Ohio” published by Colton (1845) and “World” (1850). Robert Greenhow (1800-1854) was a physician, scientist, linguist and historian. He worked as translator and librarian to the State Department. His works include “Memoir, Historical and Political, on the Northwest Coast…” (1840) and “West Coast of North America” manuscript (1844) (Tooley 262; “The north-west-coast of North America…”). This particular map signifies the efforts the United States made towards claiming territory in the northwest against the British in the 1840s. Robert Greenhow created a book, “Memoir…” describing the history, politics and geographical nature of the northwest to assist the Senate in determining its case against Great Britain. This map was created for Greenhow’s “Memoir…” published in 1840. The map shows a range of mountains near California labeled as “Snowy Mountains.” According to Wheat, the map looks like Laurie’s 1838 map except for the Lost, Adams, Ashley and Inconstant Rivers. Apparently, both Laurie and Burr borrowed much from the work of another cartographer, John Arrowsmith. Greenhow later took his initial book and expanded it into a larger worker, “History of California and Oregon” (Wheat, 254, entry 447; “The north-west-coast of North America…). Source(s): ”The north-west-coast of North America and adjacent Territories Compiled from the best authorities under the direction of Robert Greenhow to accompany his Memoir on the Northwest Coast (1840).” Early Washington Maps: A Digital Collection at Washington State University Libraries Digital Collection. 2008. Tooley, Ronald Vere. “Tooley’s Dictionary of Mapmakers.” Hertfordshire: Map Collector Publications Limited, 1979. Wheat, Carl I. “Mapping the Transmississippi West.” Volume 2. San Francisco: Institute of Historical Cartography, 1957.

• Subjects (LCSH): North America-Maps.; Northwest Coast of North America--Map.; Oregon Territory--History.; America--Discovery and exploration.; Louisiana Purchase.
• Categories: Pacific Northwest