1969 Van Arsdale Map of the Western and Northwestern United States

This is a 1969 Perry Van Arsdale data-rich map of the western and northwestern United States. Van Arsdale includes railroad routes, wagon trails, stagecoach lines, Wells Fargo and Pony Express stops, and hundreds of cities and towns.

A Closer Look

Depicting from the Pacific coast to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Illinois and from the U.S.-Canada border south to central California, northern Nevada and Utah, and southern Nebraska and Iowa, Van Arsdale provides a visual summary of the region's history and historical transportation network. He traces the routes of 35 stages and freighters, which are identified numerically corresponding with a key below the bottom border. He also illustrates both Wells Fargo and Pony Express routes and stops. 53 railroads appear and are also identified numerically, corresponding with a key below the bottom border as well. 7 wagon trails, including the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Mormon Trail, are labeled using symbols. Native American tribes are identified throughout, providing some understanding of their historical territories. Short captions note historical events and provide facts about pioneers during the 18th and 19th centuries. Frontier forts are noted throughout, most with their dates of operation provided. An list of facts, 'knick-knacks of history', are 'added at random' below the border.

Publication History and Census

This map was created and published by Perry Van Arsdale in 1969. We note 7 examples cataloged in OCLC which are part of the collections at the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, the Saint Louis County Library, the Texas State Library and Archives, the Colorado School of Mines, Western New Mexico University, and the University of California Davis.