The History of San Jose and Surroundings with Biographical Sketches of Early Settlers

San Francisco: A.L. Bancroft and Company, 1871 Book. Fine. Hardcover. 1st Edition. First edition. Pp. xv, 537. Lithographed frontispiece, 3 lithographic plates, large folding map (laid in). Newly bound in powder blue cloth, lettered in black, to match original binding. Map with some tape repair, else a fine copy. One of the earliest definitive histories of San Jose and the surrounding area. The large folding map and appendix chapters contain much valuable information on the earliest Spanish pueblo lands in Alta California. The lithographed folding map, "Map of the Pueblo Lands of San Jose," was surveyed by George H. Thompson in 1866 and shows all the various tracts, ranchos, the City of San Jose, Alviso, etc. The map is a bit rough at the edges and has some serious scotch tape stains over the title cartouche (with very slight loss) in the upper right quadrant, otherwise the condition is quite acceptable. "Historically valuable" (Cowan). [Cowan: p.259; Howes I: H-63; Howes II: H-64; Rocq: 14096]..