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Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes.
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 1 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 2 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 3 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 1 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 2 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 3 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 4 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 1 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 2 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 3 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 4 of 0
Rare antique 1857 German map of Western Canada documenting Captain John Palliser's British North American Exploring Expedition and Red River routes. - Image 5 of 0

Rare 1857 Palliser Expedition Antique Map | Western Canada Pre-Confederation

Map Town
$
Product Code: rare042

This extremely rare antique German map (circa 1857–1858) documents the seminal pre-Confederation journeys of the Palliser Expedition (British North American Exploring Expedition) and the Red River Expeditions led by Captain John Palliser. Recognized as one of the most historically significant cartographic works of Western Canada, this rare artifact captures the initial scientific survey that determined the agricultural, mineral, and transportation potential of the vast Hudson's Bay Company territories prior to Canadian Confederation.

Historical Significance & Background:

Initiated in 1857 in coordination with the Royal Geographical Society and the British Colonial Office, Captain John Palliser led a distinguished team of scientists—including geologist Dr. James Hector, botanist Eugène Bourgeau, astronomical observer John W. Sullivan, and magnetical observer Lt. Thomas W. Blakiston. Their mission was to survey the uncharted prairie wilderness between Lake Superior, the Red River Colony, and the southern Rocky Mountains along the US border.

Cartographic Highlights & Geographic Discoveries:

  • Identification of the Fertile Belt: Mapped the boundary between the semi-arid prairie lands (later named Palliser's Triangle) and the rich "fertile belt" suitable for agricultural settlement and stock raising.

  • Rocky Mountain Passes: Mapped six southern mountain passes, including the Kicking Horse Pass (named by Dr. Hector), which later became the strategic route chosen for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

  • Early Pre-Confederation Boundary Work: Features early regional nomenclature, indigenous territories, river trade routes, and Hudson's Bay Company post locations.

  • Rare German Edition: Printed in German during or immediately following the initial 1857–1858 expedition phases, making it an exceptionally rare variant of early 19th-century North American cartography.

An indispensable investment piece for museum archives, academic institutions, and serious collectors of rare Canadian, prairie, and North American exploration maps.

This map is in German.
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