This is a beautiful example of the legendary American map publisher Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr.'s 1968 map of the Canadian province of Ontario, or Canada West. Centered on Lake Ontario, this map covers from Lake Erie eastward from Detroit, Michigan and Lake Huron at the northwest, as far as Quebec with Grand Manitoulin and Georgian Bay to the north.
Canadian provinces and territories were under British and French control from the 16th century, until France gave up its claims in the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Canada would remain a collection of British colonies until its confederation in 1867, when the British Province of Canada was divided into Quebec and Ontario and the British colonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia incorporated as Canadian provinces. With the signing of the 1854 Treaty of Reciprocity between the United States and Canada, this area experienced a period of sustained growth and prosperity. The Treaty was a move towards free trade, in which the United States and Canada opened borders and shared navigation rights.
This map also identifies various cities, towns, rivers and an assortment of additional topographical details. Map is color coded according to political boundaries with elevation rendered by hachure. One of the most attractive American atlas maps of this region to appear in the mid-19th century. Features the vine motif border typical of Mitchell maps from the 1866 - 1882 period. Prepared by S.A. Mitchell for inclusion as plate no. 9 in the 1868 issue of Mitchell's New General Atlas. Dated and copyrighted, 'entered according to Act of Congress in the Year 1868 by S. Augustus Mitchell Jr. in the Clerks Office of the District Court for the eastern District of Pennsylvania.'
