Minnesota on the Map: A Historical Atlas

The tiny region of the globe now known as Minnesota has appeared on maps for more than five centuries-in the sketchy first impressions of explorers, exuberant promotions of boosters, and analytical tools of planners and managers. This lavish treasury of almost 100 maps illuminates the imagined, real, and changing landscape of Minnesota.

Preeminent geographer David Lanegran embarks on his words-and-maps journey by introducing attempts to find a route to China around the American continent. …