Existing comment:
Surveyor's vernier compass
1846–54
made by Levi Colton, New York City
As Americans moved westward they claimed large tracts of land for settlement, agriculture, and the raw materials needed to supply the Industrial Revolution. In order to establish property boundaries, American surveyors used compasses such as this. Sturdily built and easy to repair, it adjusted for variations in the north magnetic pole, making it ideal for the wide-open spaces of the United States. |