Souvenir Tucson Map

Welcome to ‘The Nation’s Greatest Health ‘N Pleasure Resort’

“Designed expressly for the exploring visitor anxious to enjoy the many scenic attractions, as well as Tucson services..” – Accompanying text.

This spectacular (and scarce) pictorial map of Tucson, Arizona was illustrated by an artist with the name of Ogilvie (signed, lower left) and created for a postwar audience by the Tumbleweed Advertising Agency. Publishing was provided by the Arizona Land Title and Trust Company, hoping to gain a broader clientele by boosting the hometown market. The amusing front panel shows the typical auto ‘tourist’ (golf clubs in the trunk), filled with questions and confused by the network of roads.

The vibrant souvenir aimed to alleviate those common travel concerns by providing a useful guide in combination with a lighthearted and engaging aesthetic. One side of the sheet presents a stylized overview of downtown, noting “establishments acclaimed by popular choice!” Important institutions like the University of Arizona play second fiddle to the local business economy, as the eye is immediately drawn to the variety of restaurants, nightclubs, hotels, and attractions. Randolph Park is noted as home to the World Champion Cleveland Indians Spring Training, helping to date the map to c. 1949 (they last won the World Series in 1948). The verso offers a similarly vibrant color image showing the locations of interest around Tucson, including several historic missions, Colossal Cave, La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, numerous ranches, and the Old Tucson Movie Set/Theme Park (est. 1939).