Splendid large scale plan of New York City issued by Matthew Dripps for Valentine’s Manual.

Dripps was a remarkable individual. With no training in cartography or surveying, he took it upon himself to draw and publish a map of New York. He saw a gap in the market for a large map to aid fire insurance companies and real estate speculators and agents. The result was an enormous wall map of the city issued in 1851 which detail such as width of streets, make up of buildings such as single dwellings or apartments, building dimensions etc. The concept was a success and Dripps formed a cartographic firm which specialized in urban mapping.

David T. Valentine edited an annual report or gazetteer of New York City from 1842-66 and this map was licensed by Valentine for inclusion in his Manual.

This map is based on Dripps’s original 1851 wall map but with later revisions such as the addition of Central Park and the development of Union City, New Jersey. Original colour. [USA9772]