Memoir, Prepared at Request of Committee of Common Council of NY, and Presented to Mayor Celebration of Canals Completion

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Small Quarto, 408pp., Gilt lettered and decorated leather spine. Marbled paper covered boards and marbled end papers. Some scuffs on leather Memoir, Prepared at the Request of a Committee of the Common Council of the City of New York, and Presented to the Mayor of the City at the Celebration of the Completion of the New York Canals. Original binding. Many folding maps and facsimile documents. Some old newspaper clippings laid inside and pages darkened by them. A few old tape repairs to some of the folding documents. At the back of the book are eight facsimiles of letters (folded) from John Adams, Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Gen. Lafayette and others. First edition. Howes C-562; American Imprints 20118. One of the first recorded American books illustrated with lithographs. An extremely important book documenting the greatest feat in early American engineering history. The Erie Canal which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, among some 400 miles or more of canal-building, first proposed in 1699, was formally begun in 1819 and opened opened on October 26, 1825. This copy has a mounted presentation label and was given to Isaac Leggett Varian (New York, New York, June 25, 1793 - Peekskill, New York, August 10, 1864) was a New York state legislator and later on, a Mayor of New York. He also led Tammany Hall from 1835 until 1842. Includes an invitation for a steamboat ride in celebration of the opening. Most unusual association copy. Seller Inventory # 023480

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