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Ian Beardsell's Reviews > The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau
The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau
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A beautifully illustrated synopsis of fur trader and explorer David Thompson's travels in the Pacific Northwest.
Nisbet gives the reader a short but interesting background on Thompson's origins and then chronologizes his map-making trips ca. 1812 that opened up the area of modern-day area comprising southeastern BC and Alberta, northeastern Washington state, and Idaho. The artwork of 19 century artists, detailed maps, and photos really enhance the read!
Although Thompson never saw the Thompson-Okanagan region where I was born and raised, he was a key reason that that area was developed by the fur trade later in the 19th century. He focused on finding a trade route from the North Saskatchewan River on the prairies, over the mountains, and down to the Columbia River that had only just been navigated by Lewis and Clark a few years previously.
I also learned that, not only was Thompson a prolific explorer and map maker, he was an avid amateur astronomer as well. In those days, astronomical observations using a sextant were key in determining one's latitude and longitude from London.
Jack Nisbet's books have kick-started my interest in old maps and stories of settling the Pacific Northwest.
Nisbet gives the reader a short but interesting background on Thompson's origins and then chronologizes his map-making trips ca. 1812 that opened up the area of modern-day area comprising southeastern BC and Alberta, northeastern Washington state, and Idaho. The artwork of 19 century artists, detailed maps, and photos really enhance the read!
Although Thompson never saw the Thompson-Okanagan region where I was born and raised, he was a key reason that that area was developed by the fur trade later in the 19th century. He focused on finding a trade route from the North Saskatchewan River on the prairies, over the mountains, and down to the Columbia River that had only just been navigated by Lewis and Clark a few years previously.
I also learned that, not only was Thompson a prolific explorer and map maker, he was an avid amateur astronomer as well. In those days, astronomical observations using a sextant were key in determining one's latitude and longitude from London.
Jack Nisbet's books have kick-started my interest in old maps and stories of settling the Pacific Northwest.
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