Mission of the North American People, Geographical, Social, and Political. Illustrated By Six Charts Delineating the Physical Architecture and Thermal Laws of All Continents. by Gilpin, William - 1873

Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1873. A first edition of the "reproduction" of Gilpin's 1860 title, "The Central Gold Region. The Grain, Pastoral and Gold Regions of North America: Some New Views of Its Physical Geography, and Observations on the Pacific Railroad." In original dark green cloth covers with gilt stamped spine titles and decoration. 217 pages, with six large fold-out maps that include three of North America depicting some of Gilpin's rather fanciful theories of climate and geography, one illustrating the "system of the Parcs (sic) and the domestic relations of the Great Plains, the North American Andes, and the Pacific Maritime Front," a map of the world, and one of the "System of the Parcs of Colorado." Included is a chapter on Gilpin's advocacy for a railway to the Pacific, experiences in the Mexican War, a chapter on the importance of Pike's Peak and Sierra San Juan (Gilpin was convinced that Denver would the hub of Western commerce), and topics suggested by the subjects of the maps. Gilpin's own history is controversial and fascinating, from his trip across the West with Fremont (when Giilpin suspected evidence of placer gold in Colorado), his tenure in Oregon's Willamette Valley and participation in obtaining provisional government status from the US Congress for the Oregon territory, his distinguished military career including Indian wars, his brief term as Governor of Colorado (he was dismissed by President Lincoln due to fiscal controversies), his career as an attorney, his prophecies regarding the importance of the American West....well. Quite a character who also produced a number of substantial books. This volume has some edgewear, with small areas of rub-through of the cloth and a slight cant due to the insertion of the maps. The maps themselves are in good condition, a few have a discolored strip along the text edge on the back of the map, not affecting maps themselves, several have small closed tears at the point of their attachment to the book, a couple with short spearation at fold line. All are bright and clean otherwise. There is a faint smoky odor: seems more like fireplace smoke than tobacco. but it's too faint and old to really tell. Overall a fascninating book by an interesting character on an unusual aspect of Western America exploration and expectation.collectible 5049. First Edition Thus. Hard Cover. Very Good Condition/No Dust Jacket (as issued). Illus. by Folding Maps. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Collectibles.