Being a Cartograph of Ohio

Pictorial map of Ohio issued for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago.

Published when there were 48 states in the Union, this map attempts to set Ohio apart from the others through the use of delicate text and detailed illustrations. Nearly everything within the borders of the state can be described as self-promotion; from the oversized livestock and industrial cartoons to the aggrandizing annotations and charming tagline – “a good state to visit, better yet to live in.”

This is to be expected, as the map was published for distribution at the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago, an event designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Second City’s founding. Most states, and a number of countries, designed promotional marketing material for circulation at the fair – although this one may be unique for the interesting ways to use the map described at the bottom of the page!