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Description

Extremely rare separately issued map of the Department of Dakota by E.H. Rakowicz of the Army Corps of Engineers, under the direction of Lieutenant John Biddle.

The Department of Dakota was a military subdivision of the Division of the Missouri, which existed between 1866 and 1911. Headquartered first at Ft. Snelling and after 1867 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Department of the Dakota encompassed all of Montana, the Dakotas and Montana.

The present map was apparently a separately issued map prepared for military use and was almost certainly not available to the public, which would explain its rarity. The map was meticulously compiled from a number of contemporary maps, including an 1881 predecessor map of the Department of Dakota prepared by Maguire in 1881 and maps prepared by the US Land Office, US Postal Service, Canadian Land Office (map of Manitoba and North West Territory), Railroad Surveys in Dakota and Montana, maps prepared by G.A. Cornish, H.Liggett, S.C. Robertson, George Bell Jr., R.G. Hill, J.C. Waterman, A.S. Rowan J.E. Wilson, J.H. Beacom and G.H. Cameron and from "Maps of Scouts and Rconnaissances."

The map identifies Military Posts and Reservations with a US Flag. Also shown are Indian Reservations, Telegraph Lines, Wagon Roads, Trails, and state, terrtorial and department boundaries. The map is without question the most detailed and up to date map of the region and includes a number of small settlements and landmarks which do not appear on other maps.

Our search of online catalog entries, dealer and auction records turned up only a digital copy and the copy at Yale. We note also the Eberstadt offered a copy for sale in his Catalog 126 in 1950 (Priced at the then very high price of $40.00).

Condition Description
Several marginal tears. Printed on 2 sheets, which are joined.