The Great State of Texas - 1846
The Great State of Texas - 1846
On February 19, 1846 the last President of the Republic of Texas handed over the reins of power to the first Governor of the State of Texas and the Lone Star took its place in the American constellation.
The Republic of Texas was no more. The Great State of Texas was born.
And that state was in a far different form than the one we know today.
The founding fathers of the Republic of Texas had set their sights far in 1836. The republic they defined encompassed the entire eastern half of what is now New Mexico, including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos. The panhandle they described was in the shape of a stovepipe running all the way north to the 42nd parallel.
How far north is that?
Today the 42nd parallel makes up the borders between California and Oregon in the west, and between Pennsylvania and New York in the east. It runs through Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.
In fact, Point Pelee, Ontario lies just south of the 42nd degree north latitude, meaning that southern-most Canada lay south of northern-most Texas.
Claiming the 42nd parallel placed the northern border of Texas in what is now Carbon County, Wyoming.
In Philadelphia, Samuel Augustus Mitchell was busy satisfying the public’s demand for details about the newest state. Mitchell liked details. That’s why he was the first map publisher in the United States to switch from copper plate engraving to steel. Steel produced finer detail.
The map you see here was produced that same year. Which makes it valuable to collectors of Texas maps. Original 1846 folding copies sell for over $10,000.
This reproduction is of the much rarer wall version, which features a distinctive flowering vine border and corner embellishments. It never comes up for sale at the auction houses.
This is the first time it has been reproduced.
Physical Details
- 24 by 26.5 inches
- Chosen by Universities & Museums
- Printed on the highest quality fine art paper
The paper is acid free watercolor paper with an elegant ever so lightly textured finish. This surface allows the inks to 'bite', reproducing the shading and tonality of the original map vividly, beautifully, and exactly.
The inks are guaranteed color-fast for 80 years, which means you won't need to lay out the extra money for UV glass. You can hang your map in direct sun and it will be just as bright when they are passed on to the next generation it is the day it ships.
It's an instant heirloom. Get yours before they're gone...and get one to give to a friend. He'll owe you!
