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Description

Rare late edition of the reduced version of Goddard's seminal map of California, first issued in 1857 and re-issued in this reduced format in 1858.

George Goddard was born in Bristol, England in 1817. Trained as an architect and surveyor, he came to California in 1850 and at once became a well regarded surveyor and engineer. He was one of the original settlors of Columbia, in Tuolumne County. In 1855, he commenced surveys in California and Utah Territory (now Nevada). He surveyed the original route of the Western Pacific from Sacramento to Oakland and spent several years surveying for Fremont and surveyed a number of the Sierra passes (Mt. Goddard being his namesake).

His large format map of California was considered to be a landmark by Wheat (Gold Regions 302, TM 901). In the second edition of the Wheat's Mapping of the Gold Regions, Heckrote notes that the reduced map is not a mere copy, as Wheat suggested. The region around Henness Pass aas been remapped and there are significant changes. The map was re-issued in 1872 without Goddard's name and was used thereafter to illustrate several books. 

We have been unable to identify the source of the map. The re-mapping of the Railroad from Los Angeles to Yuma is a noteworthy change. The map retains its marvelous detail.

A rare late edition of Goddard's seminal map.