Feature Points
- VINTAGE MAP REPRODUCTION: You’ll love this high quality historic reproduction of 1861 Illinois State Map. Our museum quality maps are archival grade, which means it will look great and last without fading for over 100 years. Our print to order maps are made in the USA and each map is inspected for quality. This beautiful artwork is a perfect addition to your themed decor. Vintage maps look great in the home, study or office. They make a perfect gift as well.
- MUSEUM QUALITY: This high quality map print will be a great addition to your vintage-themed wall. Don't waste money on cheap-looking, thin paper posters. We use thick, fine art print quality matte paper. Our professional’s choice matte paper displays artwork in high detail without glare. The color is vibrant and text is easy to read. When framed, this map looks absolutely stunning.
- A LOOK BACK AT HISTORY: This is an impressive, historic reproduction of 1861 Illinois State Map. This print is from an original found in the maps and geography division of the US Library of Congress. A true piece of history. See our product description section for more fascinating information about this historic map and its significance.
- READY TO FRAME: This print includes a 0.2 inch border for a perfect frame fit and look. Our maps are designed to fit easy-to-find standard frame sizes, saving you money from having to pay for a custom frame. Each map is inspected for quality and shipped in a rigid tube.
- HISTORIX: We love history and art. Sometimes old maps have tears, folds, separations and other blemishes. We digitally restore and enhance maps while keeping its historical character. All our maps are proudly made in the USA. Customers all over the world love our vintage maps and we know you will too.
Additional Information
1861 sectional map of the state of Illinois: Exhibiting the exact boundaries of counties as established by law and the general topography of the state as towns, streams, lakes, ponds, bluffs, rail-roads, state & common-roads, etc. also the main coal field, mineral districts, outcrops of coalbanks, mines, etc.
The publication of this map coincided with President Abraham Lincoln leaving his home state to be inaugurated in Washington DC, as well as the outbreak of the American Civil War. Though the state would not see significant battles on its soil, its meat processing and manufacturing industries, especially those coming out of Chicago, would be instrumental in the Union’s ultimate defeat of the confederacy. The state was also a significant source for Union troops. Additionally, the proximity of the state to the Mississippi River provided a starting point for General Ulysses S. Grant to begin his assault and secure the vital trade route for the Union.
The expansion of railroads into Chicago, as well as its bustling manufacturing economies, had attracted thousands of immigrants from Western Europe, where famine and civil unrest were forcing many immigrants to find new homes. Since the 1850s, Chicago had become one of the most prominent cities and played a central role in the development of American economic, political, and cultural life. Its location on Lake Michigan allowed the city to control access to the Great Lakes, giving it significant economic power.
Leading into the 1860s, Chicago had seen rapid expansion, and the state as a whole was experiencing economic prosperity afforded by the 30 railings that created the hub of the Midwest. This sectional map depicts the great state in remarkable detail and transports the viewer back in time with its distinctive aesthetic, and these maps were valued in their time by residents and merchants alike.
