Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum


.

1855 Tinted Lithograph from the Pacific Railroad Survey

..
.
Summit of the Nearest Ridge 
South of the Grand (Gunnison) River
Traversed in passing around lateral canons, 12 o'clock, September, 12, 1853
.
On the maps and in the narrative of the Survey, what is now called the Gunnison River (in honor of Captain Gunnison who led this part of the Railroad Survey), was referred to as the "Grand River."  The northern part of the Colorado River, which historically was also sometimes called the Grand River, is referred to as the Nae-Un-Kah-Rea or Blue RIver on these maps.

(larger scan and history below)

Print Type:...Tinted Lithograph - a lithograph printed from 2 or 3 stones, one producing the details of the image in black ink, and 1 or 2 others providing some wash-like coloring (typically fawn, blue, green or gray).
Print Date:...1855.
Print Title:   Summit of the Nearest Ridge South of Grand River, Traversed in passing around lateral Cañones 12 o'clock, September 12..
Artist:...John Mix Stanley (1814-1872) from a sketch by Richard H. Kern (1821-1853).
Richard Kern was actually the artist of the Pacific Railroad Survey at the 38th and 39th parallels; he was the one who made the original drawings and paintings. Because he was killed in October, 1853 by Ute Indians in Utah, John Mix Stanley prepared the images for lithography.  Stanley, a noted artist himself, was artist to the northern route of the USPRR Survey under Gov. Isaac Stevens, that explored the area between St. Paul and Puget Sound.
Lithographer:  A. Hoen & Co., Baltimore.
Image Size:    8 3/4  x  5 3/4  inches.
Total Size including margins:   11 3/8  x  8 1/8  inches.
Please see larger scan with margins below.

~~~~
History:...In 1853, the U.S. Congress authorized the Corps of Topographic Engineers to undertake a survey of potential rail routes between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean.  This print is an illustration from the report of the survey at the 38th and 39th parallels under the leadership of Captain John W. Gunnison, assisted by Lt. Edward G. Beckwith, who surveyed routes in Kansas, Colorado and Utah.  Gunnison, Richard  H. Kern, topographer and artist to the expedition, and seven others were killed by Ute Indians along the Sevier River in Utah.  Beckwith assumed leadership and the survey explored routes at the 41st parallel which Beckwith (and Gunnison before him) recommended as an economical and practicable route.   Although this suggestion had little influence at the time of the survey, the first transcontinental railroad completed in 1869, when the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads were joined at Promontory Point, Utah, basically followed Beckwith's route.
~~~  The Gunnison survey group crossed the Cochetopa Pass in early September, 1853, and traveled along what is now called the Gunnison River, reaching the area of what is now Grand Junction around September 19-20.
 
To view a "thumbnail gallery" of other
tinted lithographs from the
Pacific Rail Road Survey

 
 PLEASE CLICK HERE
Courtesy of William Husson.
panzoom
..




Copyright © 2002 CPRR.org.  [Last Updated 7/7/2002]
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement;
Click any image or link to accept.
The CPRR Museum and Panzoom are not affiliated.

HOME   |   USPRR Engravings Index   |   Pacific RR Surveys CONTENTS   |   More USPRR Engravings