Chart of the Exposition of nineteen hundred and thirty three at Chicago

A rare (though somewhat ineffective) map of Chicago’s Century of Progress.

In 1933, Chicago hosted the Century of Progress, a World’s Fair organized to commemorate the city’s 100th year since its organization and celebrate the bright future offered by the miracles of technology. This charming pictorial piece was issued in conjunction with the event, but it is a ‘chart’ in practically name alone.

The fairgrounds have been sketched along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, dotted with small vignettes that represent different attractions and points of interest. A lack of any scale, labeled transportation routes, or concrete landmarks makes for a somewhat confusing image – how far is Sightseeing from a Sausage (bottom) from the Place for Star Gazers?

The border is comprised of further scenes from the World’s Fair, equally ambiguous in detail and description. Of notable interest is the risque fan dance of Sally Rand (She needed both), Firestone’s illuminated tires, and the amusingly vague Everything Electrical. The wonders of transportation and technological development complement the sense of whimsy and the carefree attitude of the map.

Credited to Speer and Eaton below the decorative title cartouche. Copyright is given to W.F. Speer and George A. Speer – little information can be found on either, though Google Gemini claims they were the operators of the Sky Ride (unverified). I’ve also been unable to identify other market records or online holdings of this map (or any others by the Speers), making it an unusual and rare piece from the Century of Progress.