This highly appealing decorative map of Long Island was issued in 1891 by the Long Island Railroad to promote real estate investment throughout the island.  Cartographically the map is based upon Colton’s 1855  Travellers Map of Long Island , though it has been updated to 1884, reflecting the development of the rail lines as far as Sag Harbor and Greenport as well as embellished with numerous decorative elements.  By far this map’s most interesting feature is its elaborate decorative border work which promotes the beaches, climate, views, fishing, and sailing to be hand throughout Long Island.  The map describes Long Island, “the Pleasure Ground of New York”, as “Cool in the Summer”, “Warm in the Winter”, “swept by ocean breezes”, and the “most healthful and delightful climate on the coast”.  Colored to show all townships, including five in southern Kings County not yet annexed by Brooklyn.
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<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.geographicus.com/mm5/cartographers/longislandrailroad.txt">http://www.geographicus.com/mm5/cartographers/longislandrailroad.txt</a></div>
1891 (dated)
This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.geographicus.com/">Geographicus Rare Antique Maps</a>, a specialist dealer in rare maps and other cartography of the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as part of a <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Geographicus" title="Commons:Geographicus">cooperation project</a>.