- Title: GALVESTON ENTRANCE TEXAS from a Trigonometrical Survey Under the direction of A.D. BACHE...
- Author: United States Coast Survey
- Date: 1853
- Condition: Age-related discoloration and minor edge imperfections.
- Inches: 17 1/8 x 13 1/2 [Image]
- Centimeters: 43.49 x 34.29 [Image]
- Product ID: 308386
This is an outstanding example of a rare Electrotype edition of the United States Coast Survey chart depicting the Entrance to Galveston Harbor, issued as a separate presentation copy on heavy, high-quality paper.
The map provides detailed coverage of Galveston and its surrounding area, pinpointing significant features such as shipwrecks, buoys, Fort Point, and nearby islands. Accompanying the cartographic detail are extensive sailing directions, navigational notes, tidal observations, and current data, all presented on sturdy, unfolded paper.
While the United States Coast Survey was not responsible for inventing either electrotyping or photographic reproduction, the agency played a pivotal role in advancing these technologies for mapmaking. Thanks to the technical ingenuity of George Mathiot, these methods were significantly refined and widely implemented, enabling the efficient and precise production of charts and maps by the late 1850s.
Background on Creator
The United States Coast Survey was the nation’s first scientific agency, established by an Act of Congress on February 10, 1807, under President Thomas Jefferson to conduct a systematic survey of the coastline. Originally called the Survey of the Coast, it was created within the Department of the Treasury and led by Swiss immigrant Ferdinand R. Hassler, who introduced precise geodetic surveying methods new to North America. Early progress was slow due to political and military interruptions, but after renewed civilian leadership in 1832, the agency began producing detailed nautical charts and conducting hydrographic surveys essential for safe navigation and commerce.
As the United States expanded, so did the Coast Survey’s responsibilities. In addition to mapping coasts, it took on tasks such as standardizing weights and measures, studying tides and currents, and advancing the fields of astronomy, meteorology, and geodesy. By the late 19th century, the agency extended its surveys inland, notably with the 39th parallel survey, which connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and laid the foundation for the nation’s geodetic reference system. In 1878, reflecting its broader mission, the agency was renamed the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Throughout its history, the Coast Survey attracted leading scientists and engineers and played a crucial role in the development of American science and technology. Today, its legacy continues through NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey and the National Geodetic Survey.