Map of Ontario in Counties is Samuel Augustus Jr. Mitchell’s confident portrait of a province on the cusp of modern nationhood, issued in 1868 with a copyright imprint of 1867 as part of Mitchell’s New General Atlas. The composition marries bright, discriminating color to an ornate border and finely engraved cartouches, elevating administrative fact into visual pleasure. County tints lock neatly along crisply drawn lines, while a clear scale bar invites precise measurement of overland distances. In a characteristically Mitchellian touch, longitude is referenced to both Greenwich and Washington, D.C., a dual system that aligned his geography with British and American conventions alike. The result is a sheet that is at once authoritative and lucid, balancing decorative flourish with hard-working, navigable detail.

Issued at the moment of Canadian Confederation, the map captures Ontario’s administrative reorganization as the Province of Canada divided into Ontario and Quebec in 1867. County demarcations register the legal scaffolding of settlement, taxation, and justice, while the province’s striking hydrography—Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Georgian Bay—sets the stage for trade and migration. The Ottawa River frames the northeast; the Thames and Grand Rivers thread through the southwest; and gentle hill shading hints at the Niagara Escarpment’s long arc. Borders with New York and Michigan appear naturally along the Niagara and Detroit river corridors, underscoring the cross-border economy that tied ports and mills to Great Lakes shipping. Every tint and line conveys the mid-19th-century logic of land, law, and water.

Mitchell labels a constellation of rising towns that would anchor Ontario’s growth. Toronto, the bustling lakeside entrepôt, sits within historic York County; Ottawa, newly affirmed as the national seat, appears upriver with direct orientation to the St. Lawrence system. Hamilton lies snug against the harbor curve of the western Lake Ontario shore; London centers fertile Middlesex; Windsor fronts the strategic Detroit River; St. Catharines commands the Niagara peninsula; and Guelph marks Wellington’s interior. The map also notes the community later known as Kitchener (then Berlin), emblematic of the German-rooted settlements of Waterloo County. Together these urban names, set amid a mosaic of townships and concessions, reveal the province’s developing hierarchy of markets, magistracies, and roads, each county color guiding the eye from lake port to inland farm.

Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr., heir to one of America’s most influential cartographic houses, brought a publisher’s discipline and a designer’s eye to this atlas series. Building on his father’s legacy, he refined a house style distinguished by vivid but legible color, consistent iconography, and meticulous updates keyed to political change. His choice to cite both Greenwich and Washington meridians reflects an astute awareness of his transatlantic audience, as does the atlas’s balance of national, regional, and county plates. Mitchell’s work thrived in a competitive market—promoted through energetic advertising and aimed at schools, parlors, and countinghouses—by promising dependable orientation in a swiftly changing world. This Ontario plate exemplifies that promise: exacting in boundary detail, generous in geographic context, and attuned to the questions educated readers were asking.

Aesthetically, the sheet maintains the high Victorian taste for ornament without sacrificing clarity. The arabesque border frames a field of impeccably set type, with county names, townships, rivers, and lakes arrayed in a hierarchy that reads at a glance yet rewards closer study. Toned hill forms lend topographic relief; waterways are drawn with supple confidence; and the measured lattice of lines and numerals translates space into intelligible distance. Insets and motifs are restrained to preserve focus on the provincial canvas, while brief peeks into New York and Michigan acknowledge Ontario’s porous frontiers. As an artifact of a pivotal decade—when jurisdiction caught up with settlement and a new capital took its place—the map is an elegant synthesis of beauty and exactitude, the civil order of counties laid gracefully over the drama of the Great Lakes.

Cities and towns on this map

• Toronto: Modern population around 2.8 million
• Ottawa: Modern population around 1 million
• Hamilton: Modern population around 570,000
• London: Modern population around 400,000
• Kitchener: Modern population around 250,000
• St. Catharines: Modern population around 140,000
• Windsor: Modern population around 230,000
• Guelph: Modern population around 130,000

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Coloring: Vibrant colors delineating various counties.
• Cartographic Scale: Scale rendering for measurement of distances.
• County Borders: Clear demarcations of county lines across Ontario.
• Geographical Features: Rivers, lakes, and hills indicated through color and contour.
• Cities and Towns: Human settlements labeled across different counties.
• Ornate Border: Decorative border adding to the visual appeal.

Historical and design context

• Mapmaker/Publisher: Created by Samuel Augustus Jr. Mitchell
• Date Made: 1868 (with copyright dating back to 1867)
• Atlas Title: Part of "Mitchell's New General Atlas"
• Prime Meridians Used: Greenwich and Washington, D.C.
• Design Style: Full-color representation enhancing clarity, with an ornate border and detailed cartouches, reflecting innovative cartographic practices of the 19th century.
• Historical Significance: The atlas is notable for its portrayal of evolving regions during a period marked by territorial expansion and population growth in North America.
• Commercial Context: Includes a tipped-in broadside advertisement for marketing Mitchell’s General Atlas, providing insight into the commercial landscape of the time.
• Aesthetic Qualities: Beautifully bound in embossed half-leather with gilt-stamped titles, showcasing craftsmanship and decorative value.
• Content Overview: The atlas features a comprehensive collection of county maps, presented in vibrant color, highlighting the geographical features and municipalities of the regions.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

Alcune delle mie vecchie mappe sono ora disponibili come tele incorniciate. Per favore contattami se desideri ordinare una dimensione che non è disponibile nel mio negozio.

Le vecchie mappe su tela sono un'alternativa interessante alle mappe incorniciate in modo convenzionale. A seconda del tuo gusto personale e dell'arredamento della stanza, le mappe su tela possono "risaltare" un po' di più rispetto a una mappa incorniciata.

Scopri di più sulle mie mappe su tela incorniciate.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.