Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account

John Melish (1771-1822) was the most prominent American mapmaker of his generation, even though his cartographic career lasted only a decade. Melish was born in Scotland; he moved to the West Indies in 1798 and then to the United States in 1806. By 1811, he had settled in Philadelphia and published Travels through the United States of America, in the years 1806 & 1807, and 1809, 1810, & 1811, which was richly illustrated with maps.

Melish created several regional maps of the highest quality, as well as the Military & Topographical Atlas of the United States (Philadelphia, 1813, expanded 1815). The latter work is widely considered to be the finest cartographic publication to come out of the War of 1812.

By far his best-known work is his monumental map of the United States of 1816, Map of the United States with the contiguous British and Spanish Possessions. He began working on the map in 1815 and sent it to Thomas Jefferson for comment in 1816. Jefferson enthusiastically reviewed the map and returned it with his edits. Jefferson later hung an example of the map in the Entrance Hall of Monticello and sent it to associates in Europe.

Melish’s finished product was the first map of the United States to extend to the Pacific Ocean. After its publication in 1816, Melish ensured the map was as up-to-date as possible; it was reissued in 25 known states published between 1816 and 1823. The map captured the then rapidly changing geography of the United States, as well as various boundary disputes, treaties, and expansion.

Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1812
Size:
14.25 x 7.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
82367
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1812
Size:
14.5 x 8 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
85974
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
18 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
66754
Place/Date:
Chillicothe / 1815
Size:
45 x 49.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
67728bm
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
92462
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
21.5 x 17 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
95096

Archived

Place/Date:
Philadelphia /
Size:
Condition:
Stock#:
30836sk
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1812
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
18584
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
23 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
33683
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
Condition:
Stock#:
0130bma
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
Condition:
Stock#:
0130bmb
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
18 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
61097
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
18 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
84360
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
21.5 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
84359
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
17 x 23 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
84356
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
21.5 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
101441
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
17 x 23 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
101483
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1814
Size:
19.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
32898
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1814
Size:
19.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45297
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1815
Size:
21 x 15 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
15443
Place/Date:
Chillicothe / 1815
Size:
46 x 51 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45322bm
Place/Date:
Chillicothe / 1815
Size:
45 x 49 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
67727
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1816
Size:
22 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
9435
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1816
Size:
22 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
9436
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1816 circa
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56751
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1816
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
94264
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
15889
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
40950
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58262
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
62866
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
Stock#:
89411
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
3841
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
m0282
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
31263
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45405
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
6.5 x 4.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51070
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16.25 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
71524