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Anthony Finley's 1828 map of Ohio presents a fully formed image of the state, complete with (almost) all its counties. Featured in Finley's New General Atlas, the map delivers a detailed portrayal of Ohio, depicting towns, roads, rivers, and geographical landmarks.
The completion of the western counties in this version of the map underscores the rapid evolution of Ohio's administrative divisions during the early 19th century. It provides a snapshot of a period in Ohio's history when the state was solidifying its geographical and political boundaries.
Renowned for his precision and clarity, Finley's cartographic style shines through in this map. His dedication to reflecting the contemporary realities of American landscapes is evident in the consistent updates and refinements he made to his maps. This particular version, featuring the fully established counties of Ohio, exemplifies such commitment to accurate representation.
As a part of Finley's successful New General Atlas, this map of Ohio stands as a piece of a larger, influential work. The atlas, celebrated for its topographical accuracy and high-quality production, significantly shaped the field of early 19th-century American cartography.
Anthony Finley (1784-1836) was an American map publisher. Little is known about his life. He is presumed to have been born in Philadelphia, where he also died. A publisher, Finley was also involved in several Philadelphia civic and professional societies such as the Philadelphia Apprentices’ Library. He may have been in business as early as 1809 and his first publication dates from ca. 1811.
His first maps also date from this year, with two maps in Daniel Edward Clarke’s Travels in Various Countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The first atlas published by Finley appeared in 1818, the Atlas classica, or, Select maps of ancient geography, both sacred and profane, for the use of colleges and schools in the United States. He is best known for his A New General Atlas Comprising a Complete Set of Maps (1824), which was a bestseller. There were two editions in 1824, with annual editions until 1834.
Finley was part of the first generation of American publishers who produced high quality, precise maps on American soil. He was in competition with other Philadelphia publishers, for example Henry S. Tanner. Finley’s A New American Atlas Designed Principally to Illustrate the Geography of the United States of America (1826) closely mirrors Tanner’s A New American Atlas Containing Maps of the Several States of the North American Union, with similar groupings of maps; the main difference is the smaller scale of Finley’s maps. Finley printed two editions of this atlas.
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