Antique maps and prints of historic Illinois.
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This short
REFERENCE PAGE is designed to provide no more than a 'glimpse' of
the history of Connecticut,
with a couple of examples of antiquarian maps and engravings of
the State and some interesting Links.
This Page is provided as a REFERENCE
RESOURCE - it is NOT an Inventory.
Genuine original antiquarian maps and
authentic historical engravings, printed at the dates stated.
We do NOT deal in modern reproductions.
We supply genuine
historical maps and prints by mail order - all are eminently suitable for framing and
are offered On Approval, which
GUARANTEES
YOUR ENTIRE SATISFACTION!
Look us over, but don't
overlook us !
STATE OF ILLINOIS
The article below was written in 1885 and makes interesting reading.
Topography: Illinois has been very appropriately called the "Prairie State." Next after Louisiana and Delaware it is the most level State in the Union, and fully one-third of its whole area is composed of high level, grassy plains. The average elevation of these above tide-water is not over 500 feet.
At Cairo, the extreme southern angle of the State, the elevation of the land is only 340 or 350 feet above the Gulf of Mexico and at Chicago, in the northeastern section, the elevation of the business portion of the city is only 592 feet above the sea-level.
The highest land in the State is in the northwestern corner, where, between Freeport and Galena, the extreme elevation is 1,150 feet above the sea. Its extreme length north and south is 385 miles; extreme width east and west, 218 miles.
The Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers form part of the eastern and southern and all of the western boundary lines, thus giving the State immense frontage on navigable waters.
Climate: The climate is generally salubrious. The upland prairies are almost entirely free from endemic diseases, and the death rate in the cities is low.
The mean annual temperature on the 40th parallel is about 54º, that of summer 77º, and of winter 33½º Fahrenheit. Vegetation begins with April, and the first killing frosts occur about the end of September.
The summer heat is greatly modified by the ever-present breezes, and the climate is generally favorable for outdoor occupations.
History: Illinois, with its present State boundaries, was admitted into the Union Dec. 3, 1818, by the act of Congress or April 18 of that year, at which time it contained a population of 40,000.
The territory now included in Illinois had, prior to this time, undergone many vicissitudes of Government. It was first discovered on June 20, 1673, by Marquette and Joliet. It first permanent occupation by white men was in 1682, when a Jesuit mission was established near what is now Kaskaskia.
Illinois formed a part of the Territory of Louisiana and was first governed by the French; but in 1765, by virtue of the treaty of Paris, ratified in 1763, it came under British authority. A stirring incident of tin Revolutionary war was the capture of the British posts of Vincennes and Kaskaskia on July 4, 1778, by Col. George Rogers Clarke, of Virginia, and for six years following Illionois and Indiana were under the nominal control of the State of Virginia.
In 1784 Virginia ceded all her rights over the territory northwest of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi, which in 1778 had been denominated the "County of Illinois," to the United States; and in 1787, by act of Congress adopted July 13, this was entitled "The northwest Territory."
In 1800 this was subdivided, and what is now Illinois formed a part of the "Indiana Territory," which was included also Wisconsin, Michigan, part of Minnesota, and Indiana; and, after the purchase of Louisiana from the French in 1803, the vast unknown regions west of the Mississippi.
Illinois Territory was formed in 1809. The first State constitution adopted in 1818, a second in 1848, and the present one Aug. 8, 1870. Like all frontier States Illinois had trouble with the Indians. Her early history is full of thrilling accounts of conflicts between the settlers and the red men, and notable among these are the terrible massacre at Fort Dearborn (Chicago) in 1812 , by the Pottawatonies, and the Black Hawk war in 1831-32.
The troubles with the Mormons occurred in 1839-44, and in the latter year the were driven from the State. During the Mexican war Illinois raised six regiments for service in the field, and when hostilities broke out between the North and the South her sons again went to the front.
Under President Lincoln's first call for 75,000 volunteers, the quota of Illinois was 6,000, and within ten days after the proclamation of Col. Yates, on April 15, 1861, 10,000 men and had volunteered. From this time on the State furnished in all 259,092 men to the Union army.
When the president called for volunteers after the battle of Bull run, Illinois tendered thirteen regiments of infantry and three of cavalry as a part of her anticipated quota. Of the Illinois soldiers there were killed in action, 5,888; died of wounds, 3,032; died of disease, 19,496; died in prison, 967; lost at sea, 205; aggregate, 29,588.
Population: Census of 1880: Males, 1,586,523; Females. 1,491,348; Native, 2,494,295: Foreign, 583,576; White, 3,031,151; Colored, 47,620, including 209 Chinese, 3 Japanese, and 140
PANORAMA VIEW OF CHICAGO-ILLINOIS
Published in the Graphic in 1871.
Click on image to view a larger version
ANTIQUARIAN MAP OF ILLINOIS
Published by Rand, McNally. 1885
Click on image to view a larger version
INTERESTING LINKS
OTHER POSTAPRINT US STATES FEATURE PAGES
Contributions and suggestions for additional links would be most welcome.
Before I retired,
Postaprint supplied picture framers and antiquarian map & print dealers
for over 25 years. The inventory
encompassed examples of the
cartographer's art from the 16th to the 19th century, along with
topographical engravings, lithographs and etchings by
leading artists of their generation. You can Search
my wife's eBay Store Database for historic maps,
views, and engravings on virtually every subject,
including Vanity Fair (Spy) Cartoons. All our offers are genuine
old and historical items on a wide range of subjects.
All are
suitable for framing by Art Galleries, Shops and Fine Art Retailers.
Do visit my wife's eBay Store
JULIE'S ANTIQUE PRINTS
You will find a nice range of antique
prints, engravings, maps and books.
Specialist mail order suppliers of collectible historical antique maps and engravings.
