COLLECTION NAME:
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Record
Author:
Devine, Thomas
Date:
1857
Short Title:
Map of the North West Part of Canada Indian Territories & Hudson's Bay Compiled & Drawn by Thos. Devin Provincial Land Surveyor & Draftsman . . . March, 1857
Publisher:
Dept. of Crown Lands
Publisher Location:
Toronto
Publisher:
S. Derbishire & G. Desbarats
Publisher Location:
Toronto
Type:
Case Map
Obj Height cm:
158
Obj Width cm:
146
Scale 1:
2,500,000
Country:
Canada
Region:
Western Canada
Subject:
Geology
Full Title:
Map of the North West Part of Canada Indian Territories & Hudson's Bay Compiled & Drawn by Thos. Devin Provincial Land Surveyor & Draftsman . . . March, 1857
List No:
15873.000
Publication Author:
Devine, Thomas
Pub Date:
1857
Pub Title:
Map of the North West Part of Canada Indian Territories & Hudson's Bay Compiled & Drawn by Thos. Devin Provincial Land Surveyor & Draftsman . . . March, 1857
Pub Note:
"A Landmark Map of Western Canada Thomas Devine's Map of the North West Part of Canada Indian Territories & Hudson's Bay (1857) was the first map of the west compiled and printed in Canada and has been described as "an outstanding consolidation of cartographic material on the West." Portraying the topography, geology, and climatic zones as then known, the map stressed the capacity of the land for agriculture and settlement. It was prepared to accompany the annual report of the Crown Lands Department for 1856 by Joseph-Édouard Cauchon and was intended to support claims for Canadian expansion into the prairies. Thomas Devine was an Irish surveyor and cartographer who immigrated to Canada and became head of surveys for Upper Canada. He served as the chief of the surveys of Canada's crown lands, and was responsible for a number of important maps of Canada. Francis calls the map "one of the best examples of the changing perspective on the land . . . "which reflected the new positive attitude of the province to the Hudson's Bay territories" At the time, Canadians were largely ignorant of the potential of their vast territories, but Devine's map detailed the rich resources and abundant capabilities of the region. It portrays the topography, geology, and climatic zones as then known, and highlights the capacity of the land for agriculture and settlement. The map delineates a vast geographical area that includes the Great Lakes. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Canadians claimed that the boundary of the Alaskan panhandle should be redrawn to give them the heads of the principle salt-water inlets along the Pacific Ocean. This dispute resulted in the Alaska Boundary Tribunal between Great Britain and the United States. A facsimile of Devine's map was published by the U.S. government for use at the tribunal, which decided in favor of the Americans." (Ruderman, 2017)
Pub List No:
15873.000
Pub Type:
Case Map
Pub Height cm:
28
Pub Width cm:
27
Image No:
15873000.jp2
Authors:
Devine, Thomas
Map of the North West Part of Canada Indian Territories & Hudson's Bay Compiled & Drawn by...
