Existing comment:
Benjamin Taylor (fl. 1794-1845)
A New & Accurate Plan of the City of New York in the State of New York in North America
[New York]: John Roberts, 1797
Engraving, hand-colored
New-York Historical Society Library
This is the first map of Manhattan published independent of a book or atlas after the Revolution. The title sets the island in the context of not just the state but all of North America, a suggestion of Manhattan's future national and international importance. Streets are delineated, parks are illustrated, and there is plenty of available land. Multiple ferry routes are listed with travel times, emphasizing ease of travel. It is a portrait of a city on the rise |