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Rare Revised Edition With Proposed Extensions to the  Missouri River -- Signed on Verso by A.J. Hendry

Rare 1880 edition of this fine large format map and promotional brochure extolling the virtues of Minnesota, published for the Northern Pacific Railroad.

The map is centered on the rail lines extending from Duluth and St. Paul in the east to Bismarck, Dakota Territory in the west, locating dozens of stations along the way.  Extending further west from Bismarck, the proposed line from Bismarck to Deadwood in the Black Hills, an additional 295 miles, is given.

On the verso, a lengthy "General Description of the Country in Central Minnesota and Northern Dakota . . . " is given, describing the many benefits of the region and bearing the signature of A.J. Hendry.

A key indicates that the map should be shaded in two colors along the lines of the Northern Pacific Railroad, locating:

• Blue - Lands for Sale by E. Sawyer, Special Commissioner
• Red - Townships and parts of Townships where all Railroad lands have been sold.

The map was issued in 1878, 1879, and 1880; this 1880 edition is the rarest.

In this late version of the map, there is no shading in blue, indicating that the sales of land by E. Sawyer may have already wound down.

Manuscript Annotations

The map includes a note across the top -- "To accompany letter of Engr-in-Chief, June 25th 1881." This probably refers to Adna Anderson, who was the Engineer in Chief of the Northern Pacific from 1880 to 1888.

In addition, pencil notes in red and blue show the "Proposed Extension of the Minnesota Northern R.R." and the "Proposed Extension of the N.P., F & B.H. R.R. June 25, 1881" via Wadena and Fergus Falls.  The red and blue prospective railroad line notes extend to the Missouri River.

Rarity

OCLC locates 1 copy (Yale).

Provenance:  Albert John Hendry (1912-1984).  Hendry was a signal engineer for the Northern Pacific Railway Company from 1940 to 1954 and was head of the NP signal department from 1954 to 1970. From 1971 to 1984, he operated A.J. Hendry, Inc., which provided signal engineering services to a variety of railroads from offices in St. Paul, Minnesota.  He was a noted railroad historian, whose papers reside in the Minnesota Historical Society.