Fascinating map of the western United States showing some very early state and territory configurations as well as the short lived proposition of a Jefferson Territory.

This fascinating map of the western states of America is remarkable for several reasons. Marked just east of the Utah Territory border designated by the Rocky Mountains is the short lived proposed “Jefferson Territory”. This proposal was made to honour President Thomas Jefferson, the architect of the Louisiana Purchase. Even on this map, almost sixty years later, the influence of the borders of the Purchase, nominally the land between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, can still be seen by the line shown as the western border of the Nebraska Territory. Despite some local support, this proposal was not progressed and the area became part of the Colorado Territory in 1861.

Another feature of this map is one of the earliest geographical incarnations of the Dakota Territory, here called Dacotah. In 1858, Minnesota became a State, but there was a tract of land between its new western border and the Missouri River. The Yankton Treaty with the Sioux Indians of the same year opened much of this land to white settlement and the new settlers rapidly began agitating for government representation. In 1861, this resulted in the formation of a much larger Dakota Territory, comprising of both the sliver shown on this map, together with the northern part of Nebraska Territory.

Over the next several decades, this land area would be divided into the modern States of North and South Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska, a small section of Colorado and Wyoming.

Original colour.  [USA9578]