1858 J. Sage Railroad Map of the Middle Atlantic and Midwestern States

A rare 1858 wall format railroad map issued by J. Sage and Sons. The map's coverage extends from the Mid-Atlantic seaboard west to Missouri and Iowa, inclusive of all of the Great Lakes. It extends south as far as Tennessee and the Outer Banks. A high level of detail is present with regard to rail lines, including many stopping points throughout. Otherwise, the cartographers took a minimalist approach and areas underserved by the railroad networks are generally left blank. Red overprinting emphasizes the Bellefontaine, Terre Haute, and St. Louis Railroad, an extensive network with coverage from New York City to St. Louis. An inset featuring an engraving of the Indianapolis Central Terminal occupies the lower right.

The Bellefontaine, Terre Haute, and St. Louis Railroad

The Bellefontaine, Terre Haute, and St. Louis Railroad has mostly been lost to history. We have found only a handful of references to this railroad. A letter written on Bellefontaine, Terre Haute, and St. Louis Railroad stationery draws the addressee's attention to

this GREAT CONSOLIDATED THROUGH PASSENGER AND REIGN EXPRESS ROUTE from the East to the South and West, via the Bellefontaine, Terre Haute, and St. Louis Railroad lines, making the SHORTEST, QUICKEST AND ONLY DIRECT RAILROAD ROUTE to St. Louis and Kansas, with less changes of cars, and less handling of baggage and freight than by competing lines.

The only other reference we have located is an advertisement dating to 1859, the year after this map was published.

Publication History and Census

In 1858 J. Sage and Sons issued a large wall map of the eastern half of the United States illustrating the rapidly expanding railroad network. Sage planned to print the map in small editions that could be readily updated to keep both the price low and the content accurate. Despite his ambitions, we are aware of only two editions, an 1858 edition and another published in 1866 issued by Asher and Adams. Later in 1858, Sage used his plate for the wall map to issue smaller format wall maps under the 'New and Reliable' series title. The first such map, being the present example, detailed the Middle and Western states. In 1859, a second 'New and Reliable' was issued covering the Eastern States. The map is rare. We have identified no other verifiable examples.