1775 A Map of Pennsylvania Exhibiting not only the Improved Parts of that Province, but also its Extensive Frontiers…
DESCRIPTION
This important and scarce map of Pennsylvania is one of the finest 18th-century representations of the colony and its western frontier, based on the landmark surveys of William Scull. Issued in London in 1775, the map was derived from Scull’s influential 1770 survey and significantly expands upon earlier cartographic knowledge of the region. It presents Pennsylvania at a critical moment on the eve of the American Revolution, when its western boundaries and internal geography were still being defined through exploration, settlement, and military necessity.
The map is distinguished by its remarkable geographic detail, particularly in the depiction of the Appalachian system. Mountain ranges such as the Allegheny, Tuscarora, and Blue Mountains are rendered in bold hachure, giving a strong sense of the rugged terrain that shaped travel and settlement. Rivers including the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Ohio tributaries are carefully traced, while towns, forts, and early roads appear throughout. The western portion is especially notable, showing frontier outposts such as Fort Pitt and Fort Ligonier, along with Native American paths and early settlements, offering a rare view into the contested interior of colonial America.
Equally significant is the map’s treatment of boundaries and territorial claims. The “extensive frontiers” referenced in the title are clearly expressed, with Pennsylvania’s limits extending into regions that would later become parts of Ohio and beyond. Disputed areas and undefined borders reflect the fluid political geography of the time, while the inclusion of frontier notes and routes underscores the strategic importance of the region during the French and Indian War and its aftermath.
Maps derived from Scull’s survey are widely regarded as foundational to the cartography of Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic frontier. This London edition by Robert Sayer and John Bennett stands among the most important and desirable versions, combining scientific survey work with refined engraving. As a document of both geographic knowledge and imperial ambition, it provides a compelling snapshot of Pennsylvania and the American interior at a pivotal moment in the 18th century.
CONDITION
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