19th Century Survey Prints
The 19th century United States Federal Government was interested to enlarge and examine the country’s land holdings to the west and the south. It commissioned many exploratory expeditions in order to research information about these lands, and their potential benefits, to the country. The expeditions included the United States and Mexico Boundary Survey, the United States Naval Astronomical Expedition to the Southern Hemisphere, and the United States Pacific Railroad Surveys.
Imagery prepared to describe the narratives and expedition findings included topographical landscapes, scientific specimens, native peoples, and anthropological artifacts encountered and collected. The expeditions were staffed with naturalists whose collected material many times found a home in the collections of the Smithsonian’s U.S. National Museum. Read more about the surveys.
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Chromolithograph of "Colorado Desert and Signal Mountain"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Colorado Desert and Signal Mountain” was originally drawn by Charles Koppel and printed as Plate XI in the first report of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Explorations In California for Railroad Routes, to Connect with the Routes near the 35th and 32nd Parallels of North Latitude.” The volume was printed in 1856 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- original artist
- Koppel, Charles
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- author
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.10729.26
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Chromolithograph of "Fort Massachusetts at the Foot of the Sierra Blanca Valley of San Luis"
- Description
- Thomas Sinclair (c.1805–1881) of Philadelphia printed this chromolithograph of “Fort Massachusetts at the Foot of the Sierra Blanca Valley of San Luis” originally drawn by R.H. Kern (1821–1853) of Philadelphia and drafted by John M. Stanley (1814–1872) of Detroit (1834–1840, 1864–1872) and Washington, D.C. (1850–1860). The illustration was printed in the “Report, by Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, Third Artillery, upon the Route near the Thirty–Eighth and Thirty–Ninth Parallels, Explored by Captain J. W. Gunnison, Corps Topographical Engineers” of volume II of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. The volume was printed in 1855 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1855
- engraver
- Stanley, John Mix
- artist
- Kern, Richard H.
- printer
- Sinclair, T.
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- author
- Beckwith, Edward Griffin
- Gunnison, John Williams
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.10729.27
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Chromolithograph of "Great Basin from the Summit of Tejon Pass"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Great Basin from the Summit of Tejon Pass” was originally drawn by William P. Blake (1826–1910), the mineralogist and geologist of the expedition. It was printed as "Geology, Plate V" in the geological report of the second part of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853” written by William P. Blake. The volume was printed in 1857 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- author
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- original artist
- Blake, William Phipps
- Blake, William Phipps
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- original artist
- Koppel, Charles
- ID Number
- GA.10729.33
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of "Los Angeles"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Los Angeles” was originally drawn by Charles Koppel. It was printed as Plate X in the first report of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Explorations in California for Railroad Routes, to Connect with the Routes near the 35th and 32nd Parallels of North Latitude by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers.” The volume was printed in 1857 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- author
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- original artist
- Koppel, Charles
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.10729.36
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of "Metamorphic Rocks-Borders of the Desert"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Metamorphic Rocks — Borders of the Desert” was originally drawn by William P. Blake (1826–1910), the mineralogist and geologist of the expedition. It was printed as "Geology Plate XIII" in the geological report of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853” by William P. Blake. The volume was printed in 1857 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- graphic artist
- unknown
- original artist
- Blake, William Phipps
- author
- Blake, William Phipps
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- original artist
- Koppel, Charles
- ID Number
- GA.10729.37
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of "Mirage on the Colorado Desert"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Mirage on the Colorado Desert” was originally drawn by William P. Blake (1826–1910), the mineralogist and geologist of the expedition. It was printed as "Geology, Plate XII" in the geological report of the second part of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853” by William P. Blake. The volume was printed in 1857 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- expedition leader
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- author
- Blake, William Phipps
- original artist
- Blake, William Phipps
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.10729.32
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of "Mission and Plain of San Fernando"
- Description
- This chromolithograph of “Mission and Plain of San Fernando” was originally drawn by Charles Koppel. It was printed as Plate VI in the geological report of volume V of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853” written by William P. Blake. The volume was printed in 1857 by Beverley Tucker in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1856
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Tucker, Beverley
- author
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- Blake, William Phipps
- original artist
- Koppel, Charles
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.10729.38
- accession number
- 1918.62261
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of bird species "Euphonia Rufiventris adult male and Chlorophonia Occipitalis adulte male"
- Description
- Thomas Sinclair (c.1805–1881) of Philadelphia printed this chromolithograph of “Euphonia rufiventis [Vieill] adult male and Chlorophonia occipitalis [Du Bus] adult male,” now "Euphonia rufiventris" (Rufous-bellied euphonia) and "Chlorophonia occipitalis" (Blue-crowned chlorophonia), from an original sketch by William Dreser (c.1820–after 1860) of Philadelphia (1847–1860) and New York (1860). This is an unfinished proof, whose final version was published in 1855 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C. as Plate XXI in the “Birds” section of volume II of The United States Naval Astronomical Survey to the Southern Hemisphere, written by John Cassin (1813–1869).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1855
- graphic artist
- Sinclair, Thomas
- original artist
- Dreser, William
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- publisher
- United States Navy
- author
- Cassin, John
- Gilliss, James Melville
- ID Number
- 2008.0175.06
- accession number
- 2008.0175
- catalog number
- 2008.0175.06
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chromolithograph of bird species "Phalacrocorax Brasilianus"
- Description
- Thomas Sinclair (c.1805–1881) of Philadelphia printed this lithograph of “Phalacrocorax brasilianus [GM]” or Neotropic cormorant, from an original sketch by William Dreser (c.1820–after 1860) of Philadelphia (1847–1860) and New York (1860). The illustration was printed in 1855 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C. as Plate XXVIII in the “Birds” section of volume II of The United States Naval Astronomical Survey to the Southern Hemisphere, written by John Cassin (1813–1869).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1855
- graphic artist
- Sinclair, Thomas
- original artist
- Dreser, William
- publisher
- United States Navy
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- author
- Cassin, John
- Gilliss, James Melville
- ID Number
- 2008.0175.02
- accession number
- 2008.0175
- catalog number
- 2008.0175.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Engraving of fish and frog species "Trichomycterus Maculatus, Cheiroden Pisciculus, Cystignathus Taeniatus, and Phyllobates Auratus"
- Description
- William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Trichomycterus maculatus [Cuv. -Val.], Cheiroden pisciculus [Grd], Cystignathus taeniatus [Grd], and Phyllobates auratus [Grd]” now "Trichomycterus maculatus," "Cheiroden pisciculus," "Batrachyla taeniata," (Banded tree frog), and "Dendrobates auratus" (Poison dart frog, Green poison frog, Green and black poison dart frog) from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was published in 1855 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C. as Plate XXXIV in the “Reptiles, fishes, crustacea” section of volume II of The United States Naval Astronomical Survey to the Southern Hemisphere, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The print is also signed by Girard.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1855
- original artist
- Richard, John H.
- graphic artist
- Dougal, William H.
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- publisher
- United States Navy
- author
- Girard, Charles
- Gilliss, James Melville
- ID Number
- 2008.0175.16
- accession number
- 2008.0175
- catalog number
- 2008.0175.16
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
