Map of San Francisco, California

Cartographer(s): Matthews, Northrup & Co.
Date: 1891
Place: New York
Dimensions: 35 x 27 cm (13.75 x 10.6 in)
Condition Rating: VG

Out of stock

SKU: NL-00345 Category: Tag:

Late 19th century map of San Francisco with missing Marina street names

Details

Handsome map of San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake. Includes a list of important buildings and institutions.

Many interesting features of late 19th century San Francisco are found on this elegant map, including: the cemeteries at Lone Mountain, the Southern Pacific Railroad lines arriving from the southern peninsula, the Alms House Tract (Laguna Honda hospital today), Spring Valley Water Company reservoir, and more.

A prominent ‘China Town’ is labeled.

Several spurious street names are shown in the Marina, including Tonguin and Lewis. These were planned to be on landfill but were never actually created; Tonguin street is instead Marina Boulevard and Lewis is Marina Green Drive.

Cartographer(s):

Matthews, Northrup & Co.

Matthews, Northrup & Co. was a prominent American printing and publishing company based in Buffalo, New York. It operated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was known for producing high-quality illustrations, maps, and other printed materials.

The company was founded in 1873 by Edward Amherst Ott, Frederick W. Matthews, and George G. Herendeen. Initially named “Matthews & Northrup,” the firm focused on bookbinding and printing. In 1877, the company changed its name to “Matthews, Northrup & Co.” after William H. Northrup, a talented engraver and lithographer, joined as a partner.

Matthews, Northrup & Co. quickly gained a reputation for its excellence in printing and innovative use of lithography, a printing method that allowed for detailed and colorful illustrations. The company specialized in producing a wide range of products, including atlases, maps, travel guides, and promotional materials.

One of the most significant contributions of Matthews, Northrup & Co. was its involvement in the production of “The Encyclopaedia Britannica.” In the late 19th century, the company secured a contract to print the ninth edition of the encyclopedia, which was a monumental undertaking at the time.

Condition Description

Excellent.

References