Historical map of the old Northwest Territory

This map, created by F. Rentschler and printed by the Federal Art Project Works Progress Administration of Ohio, shows the Northwest territory and its division into future states. It also provides information about how the United States came into passession of the Northweat Territory and has a printed copy of the Ordinance of 1787. When folded, the back of the map lists the United States Commission and the Illinois Commission for the Northwwest Territory celebrations of 1937. The 1937-1938 Northwest Territory Sesquicentennial Celebration was a federally funded yearlong celebration which commemorated the journey of the Ohio Company of Associates of 48 men who traveled westward from Ipswich, Massachusetts to Marietta, Ohio in 1787. A main feature of the celebration was to recruit a caravan of 38 men to re-create the journey. At each stop along the 52 day trek, the pioneers presented a pageant called “Freedom on the March.” In West Newton, Pennsylvania, the participants were given tools of the 1700s to build a flat boat and canoes to travel to Marietta, Ohio. The men stayed in touch with reunions over the years, and Carl Givler and four other men had a final reunion reenactment of the 1937 trek in 1987