1882 Atlas to Accompany the Monograph on the Geology of the Comstock Lode and the Washoe District
DESCRIPTION
This monumental late-19th-century atlas was issued by the United States Geological Survey to accompany George F. Becker’s authoritative monograph on the geology of the Comstock Lode and the Washoe District of Nevada. Produced under the direction of Clarence King, it represents one of the earliest and most ambitious attempts by the federal government to systematically document a major American mining district through scientific cartography.
The atlas employs multiple map types to illustrate both surface and subsurface conditions with remarkable clarity. Large-scale plan maps of the Washoe District delineate mining claims, property boundaries, town layouts, roads, drainage, and topography, offering a comprehensive view of how mining development reshaped the landscape. Complementary geological maps use carefully applied color to distinguish rock types, fault systems, and mineralized zones, revealing the relationship between surface geology and the silver-bearing structures beneath.
Underground Structure and Mining Engineering
At the core of the atlas are its extensive vertical and horizontal cross-sections, which visualize the Comstock Lode in three dimensions. These plates trace shafts, tunnels, stopes, and ore bodies at varying depths, illustrating how individual mines intersected the lode and how the vein changed in form, richness, and continuity underground. Longitudinal projections follow the lode from end to end, mapping the relative positions of ore bodies and demonstrating the extraordinary complexity of the system.
Mine-specific diagrams document individual operations such as the Gould & Curry, Savage, Ophir, and Consolidated Virginia mines, providing rare visual evidence of nineteenth-century underground engineering. Together, these maps and diagrams reflect the emergence of modern geological science in the United States, combining field observation, precise measurement, and analytical theory into a unified visual record. The atlas stands as both a scientific achievement and a primary documentary source for western mining during its most transformative era.
Historical Importance of the Comstock Lode
Discovered in 1859, the Comstock Lode was the first major silver strike in the United States and one of the most consequential mineral discoveries in American history. Its immense output transformed a remote frontier into an industrial center, fueling rapid urban growth in Nevada and channeling enormous wealth into banks, railroads, and manufacturing enterprises across the nation. During the Civil War and its aftermath, Comstock silver played a significant role in stabilizing the Union economy and financing westward expansion.
Equally important was the Comstock’s influence on mining technology. The unprecedented depth, heat, and instability of the ore bodies forced engineers to innovate, leading to major advances in ventilation, timbering, hoisting systems, and large-scale drainage projects such as the Sutro Tunnel. These developments set new global standards for hard-rock mining. As a result, the Comstock Lode occupies a central place in both American industrial history and the evolution of modern mining science, a significance fully captured and preserved within this exceptional atlas.
CONDITION
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