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This map depicts the western portion of the route taken by Alexander Mackenzie on his historic expedition across North America, ending at Bella Coola River and Dean Channel in British Columbia.
Mackenzie’s journey marked the first recorded crossing of the continent north of Mexico from east to west by a European. This exploration, conducted in 1793, began at Fort Chipewyan in present-day Alberta and culminated on the Pacific coast. The map is a visual representation of his travels, highlighting key geographic features encountered along the way, including rivers, mountain ranges, and Indigenous territories.
The map forms part of Mackenzie’s 1801 publication, Voyages from Montreal, on the River St. Laurence, Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in the Years 1789 and 1793. This account is divided into two parts: A General History of the Fur Trade and Journal of a Voyage Through the North-West Continent of America. Together, these works provide valuable insight into the economy, geography, and political landscape of colonial North America. Mackenzie’s journey, undertaken on behalf of the North West Company, reflects the broader quest for a navigable passage to the Pacific, a pursuit that captivated European colonial ambitions. The map documents both the physical challenges of the route and the connections with Indigenous groups, offering a firsthand perspective on this transformative period in North American history.
![Map of Oregon Territory. By Samuel Parker. 1838. [with:] Journal of an Exploring Tour Beyond the Rocky Mountains, under the direction of the A. B. C. F. M. 1840.](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/97939.jpg)
