Absolutely beautiful first edition.
“The "Pacific Railroad Surveys, Vol. XII, Book II" is part of a monumental 19th-century effort by the U.S. government to explore and document potential routes for a transcontinental railroad. These surveys were crucial in shaping the course of American westward expansion, providing detailed reports on the geography, flora, fauna, and indigenous peoples of the largely uncharted western territories. Beyond their immediate purpose of identifying viable railroad routes, these volumes offered one of the earliest comprehensive scientific explorations of the American West, influencing subsequent policy, settlement, and development in the region.
The illustrations in this volume are particularly significant for their visual documentation of the West before widespread settlement. They include some of the earliest accurate maps of the surveyed regions, essential for future explorations and expansions. The botanical and zoological illustrations expanded scientific understanding of North American species, while the landscape images captured the vast, diverse terrain of the West. Ethnographic illustrations provide rare insights into the cultures and ways of life of Native American tribes before they were significantly altered by U.S. expansion. Together, these illustrations and maps not only supported the technical goals of the surveys but also helped to popularize the American West as a land of opportunity and shaped the nation's historical narrative.”