Antique maps and prints of Louisiana.

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This short REFERENCE PAGE is designed to provide no more than a 'glimpse' of the history of the State,
with a couple of examples of antiquarian maps and engravings 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
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Topography: Louisiana has an extreme length east and west of 300 miles; the greatest breadth is 240 miles; area, 48,720 square miles or 31,180,800 acres.

It is low-lying, and much of the southern part is only a few feet above sea level. Hills there are none except in the northwest, where there are some low ranges, never exceeding 200 feet in height; and on the east bank of the Mississippi, where the bluffs rise gradually between Baton Rouge and Natchez to the height of 200 feet.

The coast line extends over 1,200 miles, and is exceedingly irregular. Few States, if any, are so well watered, and many of the streams are navigable. The Mississippi flows for 800 miles through or on the borders of Louisiana, and reaches the sea by means of numerous branches, forming an extensive delta.

The Red, Atachafalaya, Amite, Pearl and Washita rivers are all navigable for considerable distances. In many cases rivers expand into large bayous or lakes. Of these, the principal are Lakes Pontchartrain, Borgne, Verret, Grand, Sabine, White, Black, Bistineau, Catahoula, Maurepas and Washa.

There are many bays and inlets on the coast, and numerous small islands in the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate: The mean annual temperature, at New Orleans is 68º and at Shreveport, in the northwest, 64º Fahrenheit, and the rain fall ranges from fifty to sixty-five inches, most of it being in spring and summer.

The summers are protracted and occasionally very hot, and the winters are colder than most of the Atlantic States in the same latitude, owing to the free sweep which The northern winds have over the State.

The climate is favorable to the growth of all agricultural productions, but can not be considered healthy, at least for persons who have not become acclimated.

In 1853, 1867 and again in 1878, yellow fever prevailed as an epidemic New Orleans and other cities, causing great loss of life and an almost entire suspension of business.

History: Louisiana was first visited by La Salle in 1691, and the first permanent settlement within the State limits was made by the French at New Orleans in 1718.

Four years later the seat of the colonial government was transferred to that city of Mobile. But prior to this date French settlements had been made at various points on the lower Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, all of which places were then included in the province of Louisiana.

Nominally, at least, this was an empire in itself, for it included all the territory west of the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains and north to the British Possessions, out of which nine States and five Territories have since been created. A proprietary government was formed in 1717 under the charter given to the Mississippi company and John Law, which existed for fifteen years, during which period fruitless attempts at settlement on a large scale were made.

In 1762 the province was ceded to Spain; in 1800 it was retroceded to France; and in 1803 was bought by the United States. Shortly after the acquisition of the Territory, the greater part of what is now Louisiana was formed into the Territory of Orleans, while all the unsettled and almost unknown country north and west of it retained the old title.

In 1811 the United Stated took possession of the division east of the Mississippi, which had been claimed by Spain, and, The northern section having had its name changed to Missouri, the Territory of Orleans was admitted into, the Union as the State of Louisiana, April 8, 1812. In the second war with England the new State bore herself nobly, and the last battle of the war was fought at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815. The increase in wealth and population was not checked until 1860.

The ordinance of secession was adopted Jan. 26, 1861, and on March 21 the constitution of the Confederate States was ratified. The forts commanding the city of New Orleans and the United States arsenal at Baton Rouge had previously been taken, possession of by State troops and large quantities of arms and ammunition captured, and on Jan. 31 the custom house and mint at New Orleans were seized. In the spring Of 1862 active offensive operations by land and sea were begun by Federal forces.

The forts commanding the city of New Orleans were captured April 28; the Confederates having evacuated the city, it was taken possession of on May 1 by Gen. B. F. Butler, and on May 7 occurred the fall of Baton Rouge. Port Hudson was taken in July, and in the meantime the Atchafalaya had been opened, and Gen. N. P. Banks held all the State except Shreveport and the Red River country in the northwest. In June, however, Gen. Richard Taylor recaptured Alexandria and Brashear City, but evacuated the latter after the fall of Port Hudson.

On April 8, 1864, occurred the battle at Sabine Cross Roads, where the Federals were defeated and compelled to retreat to Alexandria, which was afterward evacuated and burnt.

In 1868 a new constitution was ratified by a popular vote, and in June of the same year the State was admitted to representation, and the government turned over to the civil authorities July 13.

The fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were ratified shortly afterward. A number of constitutional amendments were adopted in 1874, and in 1879 the existing constitution was adopted.

Population: Census of 1880: Males, 468,754; Females, 471,192; Native, 885,800; Foreign, 54,146; White, 454,954; Colored, 484,992, including 489 Chinese and 848 Indians and Half-breeds.

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