G. Woolworth Colton's Railroad, Township and Distance Map of New England with adjacent portions of New York, Canada and New Brunswick.

1862 Colton Railroad Tourist Pocket Map of New England

Publication Date: 1862

About this Item

Very good. Exhibits wear along original fold lines. Laid down on archival tissue. Exhibits minor loss at a handful of fold intersections. Accompanies original gilt-stamped linen binder. Size 38.5 x 28 Inches. This is an 1862 George Woolworth and Charles B. Colton railroad pocket map of New England - illustrating a period of brisk industrialization, railroad construction, and democratization of travel. A Closer Look The map details the expanding New England railroad network extending from Maine and Quebec to Long Island. Towns and villages along the railroad lines are identified, with mileage provided. An inset in the lower right focuses on the busy eastern Massachusetts corridor between Boston and Worcester. A table above the inset contains distances by rail from nearly 200 towns to New York, Hartford, Providence, Boston, Montpelier, Concord, and Augusta. Railroads of New England In 1862, New England railroads were experiencing rapid growth and played a vital role in the region s economy and transportation network. The rail lines connected major cities such as Boston, Providence, and Hartford, and extended into rural areas, facilitating the movement of goods, people, and raw materials, particularly during the ongoing Civil War. Railroads like the Boston and Maine, the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, and the Vermont Central were instrumental in transporting manufactured goods, agricultural products, and coal, which was crucial for the industrial operations in New England s factories and mills. Despite the challenging terrain, including mountains and rivers, the development of extensive rail infrastructure helped knit together the region s economy, supported the Union war effort, and laid the foundation for future industrial expansion. Publication History and Census This map was created by George Woolworth and Charles B. Colton. It bears a copyright of 1861, but is also dated in the title to 1862, this example representing the second edition. Multiple subsequent editions followed to about 1886. While published in quantity, early editions are scarce to the market. We do not see an OCLC reference for the 1861 edition, as here.

Seller Inventory # RailroadNewEngland-colton-1862

Bibliographic Details

• Title: G. Woolworth Colton's Railroad, Township and Distance Map of New England with adjacent portions of New York, Canada and New Brunswick.
• Publication Date: 1862
• Binding: Hardcover
• Seller catalogs:
  • MASSACHUSETTS-CONNECTICUT-RHODEISLAND