Michigan

A pictorial invitation to Michigan from 1940.

This beautifully illustrated pictorial map of Michigan highlights the variety of elements that make the Great Lake State a desirable place to live or visit. A rich history including indigenous cultures, the British Empire, and the American frontier is celebrated alongside the region’s natural beauty, industrial success, and numerous recreational opportunities. Vignettes in the corners accentuate Isle Royale, the Old Fort at Detroit, and examples of prominent architecture.

Also of interest is the globe, on which a light from heaven appears to be illuminating the state. Doves and an angel reinforce the Christian motifs. A letter in the center of the page from Michigan governor Luren Dickinson, dated 1940, extends “a cordial invitation to share with use those thing which nature has so richly endowed these Peninsulas…Put yourself in this picture and we feel you’ll have a setting for a perfect summer.”