An Historical and Geographical Map of the State of Kentucky. “The Dark and Bloody Ground.”

The 1933 edition of a popular pictorial map of Kentucky drawn by artist Karl Smith.

While the map has thoroughly covered the “historical” component of the title, the “geographical” aspects remain quite thin, with only a few notable natural landmarks and rivers appearing within the image. No matter, as the history of Kentucky is the primary theme of this pictorial map by Karl Smith.

Daniel Boone and his frontier companions can be seen in an illustration in the upper left, while George Washington and a fellow surveyor are standing above the scales. Within the borders, numerous vignettes reference important historical sites and events throughout Kentucky’s past. Other drawings refer to agricultural or industrial products, military facilities and of course, horse racing.

The map was drawn in August of 1933 and published the same year in Louisville by Karl Smith. It’s one of several editions of this pictorial map, plus those of a number of other states, that were created by the prolific illustrator during his career.