Henry F. Walling and the Mapping of New England’s Towns, 1849–1857


By Michael Buehler


output was astonishing for its scope and quality, setting new and higher standards for others to emulate. Equally striking was the sheer volume of his output: During a 40-year career he was responsible for at least 117 large- scale maps of American towns and counties, nearly 20 state maps and atlases, substantial contributions to the work of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey, and important academic publications. This article will address the 60 large-scale, separately-


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issued maps of New England towns produced by Walling between 1849 and 1857. These merit attention on account of their distinct subject matter, the methods employed in their production, and their role in laying the groundwork for Walling’s later accomplishments.1


Following a brief


description of the maps, I will attempt to reconstruct the sources he drew on, then offer an interpretation that treats his map-making practices as a rational strategic response to his competitive environment.


WALLING’S TOWN MAPS The 1850s saw a surge in the publication of large-scale, separately-issued maps depicting New England towns. The numbers were dramatic: Setting aside the rich cartographic record of Boston, prior to 1850 perhaps 200 such maps had been published, while a similar number were issued in the 1850s alone. This phenomenon was driven by social and economic factors that increased demand for such maps, which fortuitously coincided with technological developments that enabled mapmakers profitably to meet this demand. These factors have been ably discussed elsewhere.2 Walling was by far the most prolific contributor to this expansion. His earliest published works were maps of


22 | The Portolan | Spring 2008


Undated photograph of Henry F. Walling (courtesy, David Bishop Skillman Library, Lafayette College)


enry Walling (1825–1888) was arguably the most accomplished and interesting American mapmaker of the mid-late 19th century. His


Providence, Rhode Island and Northbridge, Massachusetts, both published in Providence in 1849 with Samuel Barrett Cushing, a civil engineer and Walling’s early employer. In or around 1850 he established himself on his own and moved to Boston, relocating in 1856 to New York City as his business expanded. Between 1849 and 1857 he produced at least 48 maps of towns in eastern and central Massachusetts, as well as 12 of towns in Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Interestingly none were published by Walling himself: those issued prior to 1852 bear the imprints of private publishers, usually local


© 2008. Michael Buehler


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