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Map of the Southeastern United States with Pike's Exploration Route (1821)
This rare early 19th-century map, originally published in Henry Rowe Schoolcraft's Journal of a Tour into the Interior of Missouri and Arkansaw (London: Sir R. Phillips and Co., 1821), depicts a vast region of the southeastern United States, extending from the eastern seaboard to just past the 100th meridian. It includes territories and lands of various Native American tribes and outlines early American exploration routes, notably the path taken by Zebulon Montgomery Pike to San Antonio in 1807.
The map provides an intricate view of the evolving territorial boundaries of the United States during the early 19th century. Notably, it shows Alabama as a territory and details the districts of Howard, Cape Girardeau, Lawrence, and Arkansas within the Missouri Territory. The Missouri Territory is prominently featured, encompassing extensive lands that include Spanish districts along the Mississippi River and the significant Dewalieries Grant (Devallieres Grant, named for Don Joseph Vallier), without any specific mention of Texas or the Cenis tribes. The Osage Boundary, marked at 94°W longitude, delineates the western limits of these territories, reflecting the complex and often contested land divisions of the time.
Zebulon Pike's routes from San Antonio are prominently depicted, illustrating both his outward and homeward journeys. Pike’s exploration is crucial to understanding the early American ventures into what was then largely uncharted territory.
The map includes lands of Native American tribes, marked by loosely defined boundaries. The "Extended [Indian] Boundary by various Treaties" traverses Indiana and Ohio, illustrating the fluid and often precarious agreements between Native American nations and the expanding United States. This boundary loosely connects to the north-south Osage Boundary, further emphasizing the negotiated nature of land ownership during this period.
One of the distinctive features of this map is the depiction of Illinois, which appears pushed off Lake Michigan—an inaccuracy typical of maps from the late 1810s and early 1820s. Chicago is shown south of its correct position on the shore of Lake Michigan, reflecting the limited geographical knowledge of the area at the time. The map also includes a detailed view of early towns and cities, extending as far north as Cleveland, demonstrating the early development of these urban centers.
This map is bound in the original Journal of a Tour into the Interior of Missouri and Arkansas, documenting Schoolcraft's remarkable 90-day expedition in 1818 and 1819. The journal and accompanying map provide a valuable snapshot of the American frontier during a period of intense exploration, territorial expansion, and complex interactions with Indigenous peoples.
