# G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. > American cartographic publisher **Wikidata**: [Q101579926](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101579926) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/g-w-c-b-colton-co ## Summary G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was an American cartographic publisher headquartered in New York City that operated from 1865 until its dissolution in 1892. The company was founded by brothers George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton as a successor to J.H. Colton and Company, specializing in the production and distribution of maps and geographical publications. The firm played a significant role in 19th-century American cartography, producing detailed maps of the United States and other regions during a period of rapid westward expansion and territorial development. ## Key Facts - **Full Name**: G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. (also known as G.W. & C.B. Colton and Co.) - **Founded**: 1865 - **Dissolved**: 1892 - **Founders**: George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton - **Predecessor**: J.H. Colton and Company (replaced in 1865) - **Headquarters**: New York City, United States - **Country**: United States - **Industry Classification**: Map publishing company; Publishing house - **VIAF ID**: 129030183 - **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n82118510 - **National Library of Spain ID (BNE v1.0)**: XX252761 - **Yale Lux ID**: group/4f4ada41-5570-496c-989f-f17234526c7d - **Commons Category**: G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. - **Sitelink Count**: 1 - **Wikipedia Languages**: Commons ## FAQs **What type of company was G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co.?** G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was an American cartographic publisher classified as both a map publishing company and a publishing house. The company specialized in producing and distributing maps and geographical materials during the late 19th century. **Who founded G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co.?** The company was founded by two brothers: George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton. Their partnership established the company as a successor to the earlier J.H. Colton and Company operations. **When did G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. operate?** G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was established in 1865, replacing J.H. Colton and Company, and continued operations until its dissolution in 1892. This period coincided with significant westward expansion in the United States and heightened demand for accurate maps and geographical information. **Where was G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. headquartered?** The company was headquartered in New York City, the most populous city in the United States and a major center for publishing and cartography during the 19th century. **What was the relationship between G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. and J.H. Colton and Company?** G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was established as the successor to J.H. Colton and Company in 1865, taking over the cartographic publishing operations previously conducted under the earlier company name. **What identifiers are associated with G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co.?** The company is linked to several authority identifiers including VIAF ID 129030183, Library of Congress Authority ID n82118510, National Library of Spain ID XX252761, and Yale Lux ID group/4f4ada41-5570-496c-989f-f17234526c7d. ## Why It Matters G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. matters as a significant player in 19th-century American cartography. During its 27 years of operation from 1865 to 1892, the company contributed to the mapping of America's expanding frontier, providing geographical resources that supported settlement, commerce, and governance during a transformative period in United States history. The company's predecessor, J.H. Colton and Company, had already established a strong reputation in map publishing, and G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. continued and expanded upon that legacy. The firm's operations in New York City placed it at the center of American publishing innovation during the post-Civil War era. As the United States underwent rapid territorial and economic expansion, the demand for accurate, detailed maps grew substantially. G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. helped meet this demand, producing cartographic works that served settlers, businesses, railroads, and government agencies seeking to understand and navigate the developing nation. The company's existence also illustrates the continuity of family enterprises in American cartography. The Colton brothers' transition from J.H. Colton and Company to their own partnership demonstrates how publishing houses often evolved through successive organizational forms to adapt to changing market conditions and business circumstances. ## Notable For - Being a successor to the well-established J.H. Colton and Company cartographic publishing operations - Operating during a pivotal period of American westward expansion and territorial development - Being founded by brothers George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton, continuing a family tradition in cartographic publishing - Being headquartered in New York City, a major hub for 19th-century American publishing - Producing cartographic works that documented the geographical landscape of the expanding United States - Operating for 27 years before dissolving in 1892 - Being classified as both a map publishing company and a publishing house, reflecting the dual nature of its business operations ## Body ### History and Foundation G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was established in 1865 by brothers George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton as the successor to the earlier J.H. Colton and Company. This transition represented the continuation of a cartographic publishing enterprise that had already established significant reputation in American map publishing. The company operated from its founding in 1865 until its dissolution in 1892, spanning 27 years of continuous operation. The timing of the company's founding is historically significant, occurring at the conclusion of the American Civil War (1861-1865). This period marked the beginning of intense westward expansion, railroad construction, and settlement of western territories—developments that created substantial demand for accurate and detailed maps. The company was positioned to serve this growing market for geographical information across the United States. ### Founders The company was founded by two brothers: George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton. Both individuals brought experience and expertise to the cartographic publishing business through their prior involvement with J.H. Colton and Company. The Colton family's involvement in map publishing represented a significant enterprise in American cartographic history, with the family name becoming associated with reliable geographical publications throughout the 19th century. ### Headquarters and Location G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was headquartered in New York City, the most populous city in the United States and a leading center for publishing, commerce, and cartography during the 19th century. New York City served as an ideal location for a map publishing company, offering access to printing facilities, distribution networks, and a concentration of geographical societies and learned institutions that comprised the company's potential audience and market. The city had been founded as New Amsterdam in 1624 and renamed New York in 1664. By the time G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was established in 1865, New York City had grown into a major metropolitan center with a population exceeding one million people, serving as the economic and cultural capital of the United States. ### Business Classification and Industry G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was classified as both a map publishing company and a publishing house. As a publishing house, the company operated within the broader publishing industry, which encompasses organizations that print and distribute pressed goods including books, journals, maps, and other printed materials. The company functioned as a key player in the dissemination of geographical knowledge and information. The classification as a map publishing company specifically indicates the company's focus on cartographic production—the creation, compilation, and distribution of maps and geographical materials. This specialized form of publishing required particular expertise in surveying, geography, and graphic representation, distinguishing it from general book or periodical publishing. ### Corporate Succession The company replaced J.H. Colton and Company in 1865, taking over the cartographic publishing operations previously conducted under that name. This succession arrangement meant that G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. inherited the established reputation, customer relationships, and operational infrastructure of its predecessor. The transition from J.H. Colton and Company to G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. illustrates the continuity of family publishing enterprises during the 19th century, when partnerships between family members often succeeded earlier business ventures. ### Dissolution G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. was dissolved in 1892, ending 27 years of operation. The company's dissolution occurred during a period of significant transformation in American cartography, as new surveying techniques, photographic reproduction methods, and competing publishing houses were reshaping the industry. The company's closure marked the end of a particular era in Colton family cartographic publishing, though the family's earlier publications continued to circulate and retain value among collectors and researchers. ### Identifiers and Documentation The company is associated with several authority identifiers used in library and archival systems worldwide. The VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) ID 129030183 provides an international standard identifier for the entity. The Library of Congress Authority ID n82118510 links the company to American library cataloging records. The National Library of Spain ID XX252761 and Yale Lux ID group/4f4ada41-5570-496c-989f-f17234526c7d provide additional documentation points in European and academic archives respectively. The company's materials are documented in Commons, the Wikimedia media repository, under the category G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co., preserving examples of the company's cartographic output for historical reference and research purposes. ### Relationship to United States History The company's operational period from 1865 to 1892 coincided with transformative developments in United States history. This era encompassed the Reconstruction period following the Civil War, the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the settlement of the Great Plains, the development of western mining and agricultural industries, and the emergence of the United States as an industrial power. Maps produced by G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. would have served settlers, businessmen, railroad companies, and government officials seeking to understand and navigate this rapidly changing national landscape. The United States, the company's country of operation, was founded in 1776 and had grown to encompass significant territory by 1865. The country's population reached approximately 340 million by later estimates, with New York City serving as a major gateway for immigration and commerce. G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. operated within this context of national growth and transformation, contributing to the geographical knowledge necessary for economic development and settlement.