[Hoff-Brau Map of Indiana]

Hunting, fishing, and beer – everything a man could ask for in 1940s Indiana!

“Indiana is now famous the world over for its recreational facilities, as well as for its many agricultural and manufactured products. We are also produce of the excellence of our products: Hoff-Brau ale and beer.” – Text

This rare promotional map of Indiana’s natural resources and biodiversity is an excellent example of vernacular cartography of the 20th century. Produced in Fort Wayne, the image was drawn by local artist John Watt Jr. and lithographed by the Fort Wayne Printing Company. The copyright, dated 1940, was held by the Wayne Oil Burner Corporation. Strong financial support was obviously offered by the Hoff-Brau Brewery, a Ft. Wayne company opened by a German family shortly after the end of Prohibition (separate from the similarly-named famous beer from Munich).

The map emphasizes the many waterways across the Hoosier State, omitting all cities except Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Counties are very faintly outlined in yellow. Holdings of the Indiana Department of Conservation are colored in green, with different facilities (game preserves, state parks, fish hatcheries, and state forests) identified using small red letters.

The border depicts illustrations of the many fish, birds, and game animals available to hunters and anglers, with their respective ranges identified using special lines. At least two of the species – the lake sturgeon and ruffed grouse – are now on the state’s endangered list, indicating “immediate jeopardy and are in danger of disappearing from the state.” The logos for Hoff-Brau beers can also be seen along the outer edges of the sheet.

Sources: Indiana Department of Natural Resources; Fort Wayne Beer;