1891 Bird's Eye Map of Houston
This is a BIG MapNot only is this a fantastic view of Houston on the cusp of going from large town to major city, it's also really big.
How big? It measures an inch under four feet across. That actually makes it just a bit larger than the original. 45 by 24 inches.
It's also incredibly rare. Only the Amon Carter Museum and Library of Congress hold copies.
Houston: population 28,000As I said, Houston was on the eve of explosive growth. Before the next census, the population of the Bayou City would grow by sixty percent percent.
Though the ship channel was still two decades away, shallow draft vessels could already bring their cargoes up from Gulf right to the foot of Main Street.
In the late nineteenth century, cities commissioned birds-eye views like this as promotional materials. No expense was spared on this one. The city fathers went full color, which at the time meant chromolithography, a pricey and technically demanding upgrade from the standard black and white. Each color required the preparation of a separate printing plate, and if the paper wasn't aligned perfectly, the result could be like watching a 3D movie without the glasses.
See the 1883 Victorian gothic courthouse (demolished in 1908), the Capital Hotel where the Congress of the Republic of Texas convened (now the site of the Rice Hotel), the Magnolia Brewery (the taproom is now the Magnolia Ballroom).
So Many Great Details
If your ancestors were in Houston in 1891, and you know their address, you will be able to pick out your ancestral home on this map. The artist, A. L. Westyard, was that committed to detail.
It's a feast for the eyes. There's just so much here for them to take in.
Before you order, I want to reiterate that this is a BIG map. It measures 45 inches from edge to edge.
And there are only 254 copies in the limited edition. That's one for each county in Texas.
- 45 by 24 inches
- Limited Edition of 254 Copies
- Each one is hand-numbered
The paper is acid free, cold press cotton watercolor with an elegant ever so lightly textured finish. This surface allows the inks to 'bite', reproducing the shading and tonality of the original map vividly, beautifully, and exactly.
The inks are guaranteed color-fast for 80 years, which means you won't need to lay out the extra money for UV glass. You can hang your map in direct sun and it will be just as bright when they are passed on to the next generation it is the day it ships.
It's an instant heirloom. Get yours before they're gone...and get one to give to a friend. He'll owe you!
- Shipping is $5 for this item.
- Allow two weeks for delivery.
- Ships in a sturdy tube.
We will gladly buy it back if you decide you don't want it anymore. There's no time limit on that.