The Rural Californian.

Cartographer(s): Rural California Publishing Company
Date: 1915
Place: Los Angeles
Dimensions: 70.5 x 90 cm (27.75 x 35.5 in)
Condition Rating: VG

Out of stock

SKU: NL-01951 Category:

A decorative 1915 map of California with governors’ portraits, railroads, and electric streetcars.

Details

This 1915 map, published by the Rural Californian Publishing Company, provides an in-depth geographical and political representation of California, as well as parts of Nevada. It meticulously details cities, towns, transportation networks including roads and railroads, and natural features such as rivers and topographical variations. The map uses symbols to indicate the relative population of cities, and various font weights to denote the size of the towns, offering a clear depiction of population distribution.

The region’s extensive railroad system is highlighted, with numerals to indicate distances, and it also features red lines that signify electric railway lines and canals, pointing to the infrastructure development of the era. Insets of the Bay Area and the Los Angeles Basin provide a zoomed-in view of these densely populated regions, with a focus on electric streetcar routes.

A historical and political layer is added with the portraits of California’s governors that encircle the map, dating from the state’s inception into the Union in 1849 up to 1915, along with an image of the State Capitol, providing a visual record of the state’s gubernatorial history.

The detail extends to the demarcation of congressional districts, national parks, forests, and Indian reservations, underlining the map’s role as an educational and informative tool during this time. The map is a comprehensive snapshot of California and Nevada’s socio-political landscape in the early 20th century, reflecting the complexities of governance, development, and resource management of the period.

Cartographer(s):

Rural California Publishing Company

Condition Description

Wear along margins.

References

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