[Topographic Maps of the Hawaiian Islands]

Rare set of raised relief maps of Hawaii by the Army Map Service.

This awesome group of five maps, made of molded plastic, shows the rugged terrain of the Hawaiian Islands in three dimensions. The Big Island is broken into north and south portions, while Maui, Oahu, and Kauai are all covered by individual sheets. The raised relief format of the map allows for a tactile representation of the archipelago’s numerous mountain ranges, volcanic calderas, and isolated summits.

According to the legend along the side, each map highlights populated places in yellow, wooded areas in green, and four lane highways in red; with other transportation routes noted according to a variety of line styles. Airports, anchorages, geographic features, and navigational hazards are also noted. Next to the legend, an Index to Adjoining Plastic Relief maps shows the adjacent sheets, indicating that the set is complete.

Published in Washington, D.C. by the Army Map Service (AMS) in 1962. This particular set includes its original shipping carton, which shows that it was sent from the Commanding Officer of the AMS San Antonio Field Office to Lawrence G. Kory of Glenview, IL. According to his Chicago Tribune obituary, Kory was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War and a regional leader in the construction industry during the Cold War. He started Frenzel Construction Company in 1960 and helped construct the Chicago-area expressway system.

Source: Chicago Tribune