Oxford

Just a postcard quickie. Two postcards from my collection -- Oxford, England:



The city of Oxford is most famous for the University of Oxford.



In the United States, many communities would like to be associated with the academic reputation of Oxford, England. I counted 17 states that have a town named Oxford. Two of them (at least) have colleges or universities in those towns. How many "Oxfords" have you visited?

Minnesota: Biggest Turkey State

According the National Geographic, Minnesota is the number one turkey producing state, closely followed by North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and California. Meanwhile, the top producers of cranberries are Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

Today, I am thankful for all my Carto-friends. Thanks for stopping by!

O Shenandoah

The Library of Congress has an online exhibit of a very important map from the American Civil War. In O Shenandoah, I Long to Map You, Jennifer Gavin describes the cartographic efforts of Jedediah Hotchkiss. His hand drawn maps, many drawn from horseback, were "extraordinary for their accuracy." These maps were an essential tool used by Gen. Robert E. Lee in his many military successes.

On exhibit is Hotchkiss' Map of the Shenandoah Valley. The site allows you to zoom in to examine the detail:



I am reminded then, to share with you my two Civil War related map postcards. The first represents Lee and his generals examining a map (a Hotchkiss?)



Here is a map and panorama of people and events of the Civil War (click on image for a larger view).



This map is also available as a 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle.

HT to Angela

Postcards Take a Vacation

Last week I lamented the lack of map postcards, and postcards in general while on vacation in North Carolina. On our last day on the beach, we decided to try parasailing. After a long drive around the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, we arrived at Atlantic Beach in time to find out that all parasail flights had been canceled due to thunderstorms. So we toured historic Fort Macon instead.

And there, in the park gift shop, I found two map postcards!



Both of these cards depict the Outer Banks of the North Carolina coast, a portion of NC that I have never actually visited, but that has never stopped this map postcards collector before.

The second postcard records the many shipwrecks of the area. An interesting thing I learned at Fort Macon was that just a couple years after the state of North Carolina had restored the Fort as part of a State Park, the U.S. Army re-armed the fort as part of the coastal defences in 1942. Several of those ships on the card were sunk by German U-Boats.

After returning home from this vacation, I was pleasantly surprised to find this fine postcard to add to my collection. I've never been to Scotland either.

Thanks Allison!

Naturally, when you return home from a week's vacation, you need to go grocery shopping. Another surprise! The grocery store has an Ohio postcard that I haven't seen before. w00t!

So, I guess I can call this a successful postcard vacation after all.

Origins 2009

I spent three days in Columbus, Ohio, last week at the Origins Game Fair, the second largest gaming convention in North America. (See comments about last year's event.)

This year, I came across a bonus map. It's a game... AND a map postcard!



Against the Odds is a magazine about war games. This postcard is an actual min-wargame. Cut out the pieces, and the rules are on the back. This game re-enacts the famous Morgan's Raid of the American Civil War.



In 1863, Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan led one of the few raids into Union states, by riding over 1000 miles through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, before being captured trying to escape across the Ohio River. This game offers the player to try alternate routes through Ohio.

Another postcard game is Showtime Hanoi, a little game about bombing raids during the Vietnam War.

In addition to board games and war games, role playing gamers and LARPers. In the Exhibitor's Hall, role players can buy costumes, including this tooled leather map corset... Wear this and you'll encourage cartophiles to explore...



#415

NPR Road Trips

National Public Radio has correspondents all over the world who tell stories about the people and places they cover. Many of the best of these stories have been collected on a series of CDs titled NPR Road Trips.



NPR Road Trips: Postcards from Around the Globe: Stories That Take You Away:

Meet Colin Angus and Julie Wafael, who spent two years circumnavigating the globe using theirhands and feet. Turn on the radio in Katmandu and hear music from the 70s. Learn how robot jockeys are solving a human rights problem in Dubai. (It has to do with camel races.) Join in the wild festivities of Carnival in Rio. And walk through old Beijing before it’s demolished for high-rise development.

Includes introduction by Noah Adams.

Map postcards for the ears?

Also available:
NPR Road Trips: Roadside Attractions
NPR Road Trips: National Park Adventures

A Rebel in Siam

Showing off the latest addition to my map postcard collection:



It's not very clear what year this antique map was made, but no matter. It shows parts of what is now Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma and China. All areas underrepresented in my collection.

It was sent to me by "Rebel", an American (or Aussie?) blogging from Thailand: Rebel's Work In Progress - Thailand Edition!

After spending my post-college decade stuck in unfulfilling office jobs, I decided to strike out and see the world. First stop - Thailand.

Thanks, Rebel, for pausing to send this postcard!

UPDATE 5/14: Rebel tells me that she is "American as apple pie... you know the kind you get in a little cardboard box at McDonalds. ;)"

Oklahoma!

Newest addition to my state map postcard collection: Oklahoma.



I can scratch one more state of my "Want list"

Thanks, Christine!

Show Me Missouri

... on a map postcard!



Why the "Show Me" State? From Wikipedia:

The phrase "I'm from Missouri" means I'm skeptical of the matter and not easily convinced. This is related to the state's motto of "Show Me," whose origin is popularly ascribed to an 1899 speech by Congressman Willard Vandiver, who declared that "I come from a country that raises corn and cotton, cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I'm from Missouri, and you have got to show me." However, according to researchers, the phrase was in circulation earlier in the 1890s. According to another story, the phrase was originally a reference to Missouri laborers being brought to Colorado to quell a miner's strike and requiring frequent instruction.

Some of you know of my indoor/arena football fandom. In the nearly ten years I have followed this sport, by and far, the worst team name I have come across has to be the "Show Me Believers", a team that played out of St. Charles. Apparently it is a play on the state slogan and the christian faith of the team owner... By god's mercy, the lame team name lasted only two years.



The saddest news for the sport is that the Arena Football League has chosen to suspend the 2009 season and take a hiatus till 2010. I have very low hopes that this league can successfully restructure and come back with a model for player compensation that won't break the teams.

What's this I see? St Louis is for Lovers! I don't know about that, but I've had some mighty fine brew pub brew.



And look! I have a shirt to go with the map cards. Now I cannot get lost in the state of misery...

Not an Island

Back in November, I pulled together several map postcards of islands; from Nantucket to Thasos. While sorting postcards, I erroneously put this one in the islands stack:



St. Paul de Vence is of course a commune (city) in the French Alps, but the way the postcard has the hilltop community clipped, it sort of looks like and island... and if you see how it is isolated on the top of this hill, in a way it is an island... sort of...



UPDATE 1/10: When I happened to look at the postcard image in thumbnail form, the first thing I though of was, "It looks like a cut of meat on a bed of greens..." mmmm meat...

Safari - Disney Style

My friend, Nancy, went to Disney World and brought back this terrific map postcard! A map of the Kilimanjaro Safaris' Harambe Wildlife Reserve, part of the Disney Animal Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida:

Daily excursions from sunrise to sundown. You will encounter many of Africa's wild creatures on the journey of a lifetime! Elephants, the Big Cats, herds of Antelope, Giraffe, Hippos, Tommies, Bongo, white and black Rhinos just to name a few.

Harambe qualifies as one of those imaginary countries I write about from time to time. I haven't been to Disney's newest "land", however according to Wikipedia, the official backstory says that it was once part of a Dutch colony, but a peaceful revolution made Harambe self-governing in 1963. Perhaps it is somewhere near Nova Hibernia...

Michigan's Superior Peninsula

In his book, Lost States: Real Quests for American Statehood (discussed earlier this week) Michael Trinklein discussed the proposed State of Superior. Composed of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and portions of Northern Wisconsin, this state would presumably give the attention this region deserves, but is not getting from Lansing or Madison.



While the proposal gained some traction among "Yoopers" in the 1960s and `70s, it never came to a formal vote. Although they do have their own flag:



Some residents of the U.P. have an inflated view of their region's importance (as seen in this postcard):



(See other inflated views)

Additional map postcards with views of pleasant peninsulas:







Speaking of the Keweenaw Peninsula... For those of us of a certain age, who grew up in or near Detroit, we remember TV Weatherman, Sonny Elliot, and his special recognition of the Keweenaw Peninsula... ("Right... spweeeeet!... here...") Watch this video just past the two minute mark:





As you can see, his very first weathermap of Michigan lopped off the Keweenaw, and he had to add it on... In later years he made sure his (higher-tech) weather maps always had a detachable Keweenaw. He was also famous for coining new weather terms: cloudy and cool = "clool"!

No man is an island, but there sure are a lot of them

It has been too long since I did an all-map-postcard post. While looking through a stack of cards in my collection, I noticed a number of islands scattered throughout. So, let's take a tour.

We'll start close to home, with the islands of Marth's Vineyard and Nantucket.



Interesting factoids: Martha's Vinyard is the 57th largest island in the United States and Nantucket is famous for being the subject of limericks.

Bermuda is a British territory in the North Atlantic, famous for popularizing a style of uniform shorts.



The Dominican Republic is on the good side of the island of Hispaniola. For the last forty years, they have been able to avoid most of the political turmoil that plagues their island-mate, Haiti.



Jamaica is the birthplace of the Rastafari movement and Reggae music, as well as some pretty good rum. Good jams, mon, good jams.



Christopher Columbus named the Virgin Islands afer Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes, shortened to Las Vírgenes, after Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. The islands are divided between the United States and the United Kingdom.







Across the Atlantic in the direction of north Africa lies Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands of Spain. (See more of my Canary Islands map postcards.) The island was formed about 5 million years ago by volcanic eruption. Today its economy depends heavily on tourism.





Finally, let's head over to the northern Aegean Sea. Across the millenia, the island of Thasos has been ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Turks, and Bulgarians. Today it is part of the nation of Greece. The island has been strategicaly important because of deposits of lead, silver, gold, copper, calamine and iron.

Mexico City

Yesterday I wrote about a new book, National Geographic Society Exploration Experience: The Heroic Exploits of the World's Greatest Explorers, that includes reproductions of historical maps inserted in pockets with nearly every article. One of the maps I enjoyed was this one, attibuted to Hernán Cortés, of Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the Aztecs.



It reminded me that I have not shared all of the map postcards I brought back from my trip to Mexico last August. (The others are here, here and here.)

Below is a map postcard of the Centro Histórico. Our hotel was on Avenida Cinco de Mayo, and the rooftop restaurant had a terrific view of the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Federal Building both on the Zócalo, a large central plaza. It was a short walk to many of the other important and interesting sights.



To get to other parts of the city, we did not hesitate to take the city's underground metro system. It was less expensive, sometimes quicker, and generally more safe, than taking a taxi.

Tenochtitlan

While I was in Mexico recently, I looked for map postcards, but only found a few. Here are two focusing on Mexico and Mexico City before the Spanish conquest.

Mexico City, or Tenochtitlan, was the capital city of the Aztec civilization. The city was centered around the main temple, the Templo Mayor.



The remnants of the temple have been excavated (circled in red) in what is still the center of Mexico City today:



It is hard to imagine that where this modern city sits was once a large lake.



Of course, the Aztecs were just one of many mesoamerican civilizations

Tepoztlán

On my first full day in Mexico last month, Mrs. Cartophiliac took me to the little touristy town of Tepoztlán.



The highlight, literally high, was our climb up the steps on the side of a mountain to see the Tepozteco Pyramid.



The Tepozteco is thought to have been built in the early Aztec era (AD 1100-1350). The structure is dedicated to Ometochtli-Tepoxtécatl, god of pulque (a drink made of fermented maguey native to Mexico), fertility and harvest, and carvings depict offerings and sacrifices to the deity.



To reach the site, you must climb a trail that leads off the end of the main street, the climb takes over an hour. The climb is steep and arduous. The pyramid is about 1320 ft. above the base of the valley, starting at over 6000 ft. of altitude.

Mrs. Cartophiliac and I agreed that the climb was one of, if not the most physically challenging things we have ever done. My heart was beating like a bongo drum and I was often short of breath. However, we passed dozens of little old ladies with canes, on their way up or coming down. We figured if they could do it, we could. The climb was worth the effort. The view was spectacular It is possible see the whole town of Tepoztlán from the top of the mountain.

Explore Minnesota

This week, the Republican National Convention will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota. Unfortunately, I only have one Minnesota postcard in my collection:



Minnesota post card collectors: I like to trade.

I have visited Minnesota twice, but only for a short time. Once, back when I was briefly living in Wisconsin, we took a drive along Lake Pepin, which is the widest spot in the Mississippi River, on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border.



Several years later, I attended a wedding in Minneapolis. We were only in town for the weekend. The hotel was near the Mall of America, and that was the extent of our sightseeing.



Minnesota is one of those states that I would like to visit again. I'm sure there's more to see... Perhaps one of these days.

Hasta la vista, Baby!

As noted earlier, Mrs. Cartophiliac is in Cuernavaca, Mexico, studying Spanish. Señor Cartophiliac es muy solitario, however, not for long. I will be joining her this weekend, and we will spend the next week or so exploring Mexico City and its environs.

What a sweetheart! Yesterday, in the mail, I received not one, but TWO map postcards from the state of Morelos, where Cuernavaca is located:



Señor Cartophiliac es un hombre afortunado!



Aside from a few visits to Canada, this is my first trip outside of the United States since my trip to Taiwain in 1980! Needless to say I'm a bit excited. I hope to come back with interesting map memorabilia, but I won't likely be posting here from Mexico (why would I waste my time on vacation in an Internet cafe?). If I have some time before I leave, I may pre-program a couple posts to keep things from becoming completely dormant...

Hasta la vista!


#234

Land o' the Free

"When the mercury rises, it's all about freedom—to hit the road, float a lazy river, down a cold one in a mountain saloon, climb a crag or two, munch some local grub, cast for lunkers, watch the sunset from a seaside lodge."

I recently came across a July 2003 issue of Outside Magazine featuring descriptions of ten different summer road trips across the United States. Each road trip profiles the route, including "Adventure Stops", "Top Digs" (motels), "Best Eats", other "Don't Miss" opportunities, as well as recommendations for road tunes "On the Stereo"

Unfortunately, with the price of gas in 2008, I will content myself with the article illustrations by Zohar Lazar. Each article includes an illustrated map, designed to look like one of the old "Wish You Were Here" postcards.

These aren't postcards, but they should be!


#232

More Ohio Postcards

I finally got around to scanning the rest of my Ohio map postcards. There's not a whole lot to say about them. If you enjoy map postcards, then enjoy perusing these.

If you are interested in trading postcards, see Map Postcards to Trade and my Postcard Gallery.


















#228

Philippines

A postcard collector from the Philippines contacted me and we are now trading postcards. She sent me these beautiful cards from her homeland:



Spain colonized the islands in the 16th century. During the Philippine Revolution, they briefly won independence until occupied by the United States during the Spanish American War. The Filipino people continued to struggle for independence until the end of World War II. The nation became independent in 1946.



In 1972,President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. The People Power Revolution of 1986, led by Corazon Aquino, widow of the assassinated opposition leader, Benigno Aquino, ultimately overthrew that authoritarian rule.



In 2008, President Bush expressed his regard for the Filipino people: "I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine Americans when I eat dinner at the White House.... And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President."



Contact me if you have map postcards to trade. I have many postcards, some with maps, others without, available to trade with you.


#217

Why Guys Won't Ask For Directions Part 2

Why Guys Won't Ask For Directions Part 1



From PostSecret.com, the repository of secrets on postcards.

Carto-Kudos to the first Carto-Commenter who can identify the city depicted on this postcard

Ding Ding Ding! Of course it is Bangkok. First place goes to Brian!


#202

Montana: Top of the Continent

Tuesday is one of the two final two stops on the Democratic Presidential Primary tour, Montana, "Big Sky Country." Here are my two Montana postcards:



South Dakota is also voting on Tuesday, and Puerto Rico voted on Sunday... but I don't have postcards from those places (perhaps you can do something about that...).



While reading about Montana, I was intrigued by an interesting feature of Glacier National Park in that state. Triple Divide Peak, a mountain in the park, is effectively the apex of the North American continent. The mountain sends waters towards the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean via the Hudson Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Mexico. The peak of that mountain "tri-sects" the continent.



Ocean drainage basins provide another interesting way to draw borders around the world.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 6, is Memorial Day in the United States. While many see it only as a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summertime fun, it remains a day to commemorate the men and women who have died in military service to their country. Known originally as Decoration Day, the day has been commemorated annually since the end of the American Civil War.

Here are two map postcards depicting scenes from that war:



Randy Green created the card above, depicting a "somber yet magnificent overview of the key states involved and the heroic figures who emerged from this tragic yet ultimately liberating and unifying conflict." A full sized poster or jigsaw puzzle of this card is available from White Mountain Puzzles.

The postcard below was sent to me by a friend many years ago. I especially like this one because, while you cannot see the detail, it does include a map. The original painting, The Last Council at Chancellorsville, by Mort Künstler, depicts Generals Jackson, Lee and Stuart. The Battle of Chancellorsville was one of Lee's greatest victories on the field, but he lost his "right arm" when General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson was mortally wounded.

Oregon: the Quilter State

In addition to the Kentucky Democratic Primary tomorrow, folks will also be voting in Oregon. Barack Obama is expected to win this primary.

Oregon is one of the handful of states I have never visited, so I only have these two map postcards:



The only resident of Oregon that I sort of "know" is blogger, Michael5000; art quilter, bible-reader, and pop quizzer. He loves his home state, and his home town of Portland (City of Roses). However, unhappy with his state's boring flag, he sponsored a contest to design a new flag. The winner:

Kentucky: The Blue Grass State

Just when you thought it was safe to go back out into the political mainstream... It's another primary! On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton is expected to win Kentucky, but not by as much as she did in West Virginia...



I don't care what they say, the grass in Kentucky looks green to me. Just like every other state...



The State of Kentucky is known throughout the world for its magnificent horses and horse farms. The most famous horse race in the country (in the world?) takes place in Louisville, Kentucky. The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby took place on May 3, 2008.



Speaking of Louisville, I am looking forward to spending this Memorial Day holiday weekend there.

Lüneburg

Becca, a college student who also works in my library department, spent the last four months studying in Lüneburg, Germany. As always, I ask my traveling friends to pick up map postcards. Becca did not let me down.



Lüneburg is famous for its salt mines. While they are now closed, Becca said that she saw many buildings that were sagging or crumbling because of collapsed mines underneath. Unfortunately, Salt Museum was closed for the winter.



Other museums in Lüneburg include The Museum of the Principality of Lüneburg (bookprinting and bookbinding), the East Prussian History Museum, and a Brewing Museum.



Unlike many cities in in Germany, Lüneburg was spared during WWII and few of its historical buildings were damaged.



One of Becca's less productive activities while on the job is drawing "amusing" cartoons on the dry erase board...



"Nerdy collection"!.... harumpf!

Almost Heaven?

The next stop on the Neverending Democratic Primary season is West Virginia.



West Virginia is the butt of many hillbilly jokes, and it would be politically incorrect of me to repeat them here... OK, maybe one:

Q. What do a tornado and a West Virginia divorce have in common?

A. Someone always loses a trailer.



West Virginia, the Mountain State, detached itself from the rebellious Commonwealth of Virginia and became the 35th state in 1863.

State song: Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers Are Always Free)

Almost heaven, west virginia
Blue ridge mountains
Shenandoah river -
Life is old there
Older than the trees
Younger than the mountains
Growin like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads
-- John Denver

I have visited West Virginia several times, for white water rafting, and understand why many love it for its beautiful mountains and valleys. Here are a few (non-map) postcards (click to enlarge):





Like many states*, the cardinal is the West Virginia State Bird



* See also: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia

North Carolina

Yesterday, I commented on the Indiana Primary. On Tuesday, North Carolina Democrats will also take to the polls. Much of the African-American population is expected to go for Barack Obama, however Hillary is expected to be strong with the Applachian vote.



I only have this one postcard, and I don't have much else to say about North Carolina. It was pleasant enough the few times I have visited.

Indiana: Mother of Vice Presidents

Today's post features postcards from my collection.

Indiana Primary on Tuesday:

Why exactly does the Democratic Party waste its time with an Indiana a Primary? The last time Indiana's electoral votes went to a Democrat was 1964; part of Lyndon Johnson's landslide against Barry Goldwater. The time before that was FDR's landslide of 1936. Should the lackluster Democrats of that state be rewarded with all the attention they are getting?

Who will be participating in the Democratic Indiana Primary? Not just Democrats. Just as in Pennsylvania, Republicans plan to cross-over and vote, and not all of them are Dittoheads. The New York Times has a story about an Obomican... A Republican planning to vote for Obama.

Nevertheless, Tuesday's Primary could... maybe... just possibly... be the end of the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton... I'm not betting the farm on that one...

Famous Hoosiers:

• Larry Bird
• David Letterman
• Red Skelton
• John Cougar Mellencamp
• Steve McQueen
• Kurt Vonnegut
• Florence Henderson

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride...

There have been five men from Indiana who have been elected vice president: Schuyler Colfax, Thomas A. Hendricks, Charles W. Fairbanks, Thomas Marshall and Dan Quayle. They have earned Indiana the nickname "Mother of Vice Presidents."

Due to family connections, I visit Indianapolis often.

Some things I like about Indianapolis:

• Childrens Museum of Indianapolis
• Indiana Firebirds (defunct)
• Rathskeller the best sauerbraten I've tasted in 20 years!
• The Arsenal Game Room
• Their new Central Library
• GenCon Indy
• Circle Center downtown mall

Pennsylvania: Land of Cheesesteaks, Chocolate and Ketchup!

The Pennsylvania Presidential Primary is tomorrow. The latest in this neverending campaign. Will it the be the last hurrah for Hillary Clinton or the beginning of the end for Barack Obama?

I have no idea, but here are some fine Pennsylvania map postcards from my collection.



If you are interested in election maps and analysis, then check out The Electoral Map's Pennsylvania Primer, Part I



Pennsylvania... home of the Philly Cheesesteak, Hershey's Chocolate and Heinz Ketchup.

Strike up the music the band has begun
The Pennsylvania Polka
Pick out your partner and join in the fun
The Pennsylvania Polka
It started in Scranton. It's now number one
It's bound to entertain ya
Everybody has a mania to do the polka from Pennsylvania

As I type this, the Philadelphia Soul are leading the Columbus Destroyers on Monday Night Arena Football on ESPN. Have I mentioned I am a fan of Arena Football?



Lancaster County, Pennsylvania... the Pensylvania Dutch Amusement Park.

Why Guys Won't Ask For Directions

From PostSecret.com, the repository of secrets on postcards.

Ireland Victoria's

My friend, Victoria, came back from a trip to Dublin last week. Whenever my friends travel, I tell them, "Bring back some map postcards!"

She brought these three for me.

Her primary complaint was that there appeared to be little variety in map postcards. Everywhere she went, she saw these same two maps of the island...

_______________________
Interestingly, both of these cards decline to acknowledge any sort of international border with Northern Ireland (is that not an Absolut provocation, Jonathan? ;-) ...).

The second card (to the left) reminds me of another postcard I own, Utah: Aerial View at Night

Eventually, Victoria did find one particularly unique card from the community of Howth. Located on the peninsula of Howth Head on the north side of Dublin Bay.



Thanks again, Victoria!

[Victoria is also the friend that allowed me to scan her St. Lenin postcard after her trip to Prague.]

Inflated Views

From the New York Times, December 8, 2001: On March 29, 1976, a simple, pastel map of New York City appeared on the cover of The New Yorker. Drawn from the perspective of a low-flying bird looking west from Ninth Avenue, you could see the world receding from the city: the Hudson River, New Jersey, Kansas City, then the Pacific Ocean and Japan. It was Saul Steinberg's famous "View of the World from Ninth Avenue," a drawing reproduced and imitated countless times. Every city wanted a version of its own. Steinberg once said that if he had gotten the proper royalties, "I could have retired on this painting." This inflated view of one's own importance is not the first time such a map has been created. Here is another look at New York in relation to the rest of the country, by Daniel K. Wallingford, in 1937; A New Yorker's Idea of the United States of America:

© The Saul Steinberg Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Cover reproduced with permission of The New Yorker magazine. All rights reserved. per Sheila Schwartz, Executive Director, The Saul Steinberg Foundation

Not to be outdone, here is a view from California:



As mentioned here before, Texas is in love with its geographic shape. They also like to tell us how everything is bigger in Texas. Below are two postcards from my collection that illustrate that infatuation:





And finally, on this postcard, Alabama, for reasons unclear, have an inflated view of themselves:

Miserable Hawaii

I haven't bored you all with postcards from my collection in weeks. So, today I'll share my Hawaii postcards, along with a few highlights (lowlights?):



Many people assume Hawaii is a "paradise". I've never been there... but that's what I've been told... Bob Neubauer tells us about his honeymoon, in Miserable Hawaii. "We came for sunny skies and relaxation. Instead we got rain and bad colds."



A Forum dedicated to Things you HATE about Hawaii, including:

• Gigantic size cockroaches that fly.
• Noisy coqui frogs
• Coffee Can mufflers
• Expensive everything (not just housing)
• Hawaii is sinking and the beach is disappearing
• Giant Red Stinging Ants!
• Beat Up a Haole Day
• Giant toads

Hawaii has a crystal meth problem (However, the drug-rehab site linked here has a nice map themed design...)



Each island is actually a volcanic explosion waiting to happen...



A military wife hated living in Hawaii so much that she bought a domain and started a blog about it. "Hawaii Sucks" only lasted two months before she ran out of steam. Maybe it got better... (or maybe she escaped...)



Racial tensions are simmering in Hawaii's melting pot



Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on Hawaii weather:




I'm sure there are far more people who appreciate living in or visiting Hawaii than are respresented here... But since I have been assaulted in the past about the "paradise" of Hawaii, I thought I'd share a little bit of the other side...

Erin Go Bragh

On March 17, millions of Americans drink foul tasting green beer, get staggering drunk and walk around spouting nonsense words like "Erin Go Bragh" and "Top O' the Morning To Ye" They call themselves "Irish for a Day" or desperately cry out, "Kiss me, I'm Irish". Unlike the real Irish, who drink good beer, don't wait till one day per year to get really pissed, and are probably kissed by other Irish persons on a daily basis! But, let us not digress into unfair cultural stereotypes.

In honor of today's St. Patrick's Day celebration, we bring you two map postcards appropriate for the day, from Karen's Whimsy and the St. Louis Time Portal (Irish music warning: turn down the volume on your computer...)



"They're After Me Lucky Charms!"

Follow this map to see if you can find the Leprechaun's treasure:

Gallery: Map Postcards to Trade

Below are many of the map (and other) postcards I am willing to trade:

[See Map Postcards to Trade for more details.]

California




Florida


Kentucky


Maryland


Massachusetts


North Carolina


Ohio



Tennessee


West Virginia



The World

Austria




France




Germany





Greece










Russia
(A set of 16 postcards of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg)



Turkey



MISC




I will be adding a deleting from this page from time to time.

Ohio: Hillary Clinton's New Favorite State

Hillary Clinton won a big electoral victory in Ohio last night (along with Texas and Rhode Island) breathing new life into her campaign. For me, that is as good a reason as any to post Ohio map postcards from my collection:



I have been living in Ohio now for almost thirteen years. It is a suprisingly diverse state. Sometimes I feel like it is three different states. In the northeast, Cleveland to me often feels like an eastern city. Columbus is a solidly midwestern town. Cincinnati is an enigma. I have often described it to my friends as a "southern city on the wrong side of the river." However, Mrs. Cartophiliac, who grew up in the Queen City, rejects that description. She calls it a feudal city-state, because they so rarely like to acknowledge that they are associated with the rest of the state of Ohio.



The state is also divided by its sports loyalties. Cleveland has the football Browns and baseball Indians. Cincinnati has the Bengals and Reds. How the loyalties are distributed has been discussed in my post about the United Countries of Football.



On to Pennsylvania...

Don't Mess With Texas

As I mentioned in my previous post, there is a big primary election Tuesday in Texas and Ohio*. I've already posted a few things about Ohio, so here are some of my postcards from Texas:



I have visited Texas several times, both to visit friends and to attend conventions. I particularly enjoyed San Antonio and Corpus Christi. San Antonio is a terrific convention town. I appreciate the way all the major hotels and convention center are all connected by the River Walk. Corpus Christi is blessed with Gulf breezes and beautiful beaches and the nearby Padre Island National Seashore.

• Prior to European colonization, Texas was inhabited by Native American nations such as the Caddo, Comanche and Apache.


• Claimed by Spain, the territory was controlled by Mexico after their independence in 1810.


• Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, and functioned as an independent republic for nearly a decade.


• In 1845, Texas joined the United States as the 28th state, initiating a war with Mexico, that cost Mexico one third of its territory.


• In 1861, Texas seceded from the Union, and was "reconstructed" in 1870.

Perhaps more than any other state, Texas is in love with its distinctive shape:

Today, the outline of Texas is familiar enough to be a well-known image, an icon. The shape has also become a symbol, that is, something concrete implying a much larger idea which can raise strong feelings. The curves and straight lines of the Texas border serve as neon signs, billboards, book covers, television images, packages, and brochures to advertise calculators, trash bags, insurance agencies, cigars, houses, used cars, railroads, cans of beans, clothing, cosmetics, and the state itself. The gloriously uncopyrighted shape of Texas has become swimming pools, cakes, masks, hats, shirts, piñatas, buildings, evergreen topiaries, sculpture, and balloons.

The official slogan of the Texas Department of Transportation is "Don't mess with Texas." It was created as part of an anti-litter campaign, but has grown in popularlity as an unofficial slogan for the state, and The Department of Transportation has sent cease and desist letters to several organizations in an attemp to make them stop using their trademarked slogan.



*Yes, I know that Rhode Island and Vermont are also holding primaries... but I don't have any map postcards from your states, rendering you less important. Perhaps you can help me remedy the situation.

Saint Lenin

My friend Victoria recently returned from a holiday in Prague. While she was there she visited the Museum of Communism:

The museum focuses on the totalitarian regime from the February coup in 1948 to its rapid collapse in November 1989. The theme of the Museum is "Communism- the Dream, the Reality, and the Nightmare" and visitors will be treated to a fully immersive experience.

I wish I could see this museum for myself. However, she brought back this ironic postcard:



Actually, the ironic part is the notation on the back of the card, giving the address of the museum:

"Na Prikope 10, 110 00 Praha 1... Above McDonald's, next to Casino"

Canary Islands

I have recently begun trading postcards with other map postcard collectors. The first three cards below are from Héctor, a resident of the Canary Islands, an "Autonomous Community" of Spain, consisting of seven islands.



Contrary to popular belief, the islands were not named after the avian canary. Instead the name comes from the breed of large fierce dogs, the Canary Mastiff (in Spanish, el Presa Canario) that were already present when the ancient Romans established contact with the islands by the sea. The Latin word for dog is canis. The breed of birds were named after the islands...



The economy is based primarily on tourism, which makes up 32% of the GDP. The Canaries receive about 10 million tourists per year. Who wouldn't want to vacation under such a friendly looking sun?



Héctor has begun publishing his own blog, Colección de MAPAS en tarjetas postales, to highlight the map postcards from his own collection. The text is in Spanish, but the images of the map postcards are always interesting.

When I first began correspondence with Héctor I said that I did not have any map postcards from the Canary Islands, but after more searching I rediscovered these two cards that were sent to me by some British friends who like to spend their holidays there:

• According to Tim Ashkar, the women of the islands are mermaids. I find the story a little fishy.


• Christopher Columbus stopped at the Canaries on his way to re-discover the New World in 1492.


• The cuisine of Canary Islands combines traditional Spanish recipes with african and latin-american influences.


• In 1936, Francisco Franco was appointed General Commandant of the Canaries. He joined the military revolt of July 17 which began the Spanish Civil War.

Wisconsin: The Badger State

In honor of the Wisonsin Primary, today, I present the two Wisconsin map postcards from my collection:





I lived briefly (less than two years) in Ripon, Wisconsin. "Birthplace of the Republican Party". In spite of that, I truly enjoyed living in the state.

• For up-to-date info on the Wisconsin Primary visit Wisconsin Votes.


• For cartographic analysis of the Wisconsin Primary, visit The Electoral Map.


• Wisconsin, the "Badger State", was the 30th state to enter the Union.


• Wisconsin is known for its German heritage and many breweries. Purchase a copy of The Wisconsin Beer Guide to find your way around.

Transit Maps of the World

I've been waiting for months, and I finally got my hands on a copy of Transit Maps: The World's First Collection of Every Urban Train Map on Earth, by Mark Ovenden. This work is a comprehensive collection of historic and current maps of every rapid-transit system on earth. With all of its colorful graphics, it makes a beautiful coffee-table book for travel and graphic design enthusiasts.

Major cities all over the globe are included. Here is an example from Tokyo:



Also included, this fanciful map of a world united by a single transit system:



The history of the London Underground can be charted by the succession of user maps that were produced through the last century:



From my collection, two postcards of the London Underground showing some growth of the extended lines:

1985	circa 1995

Below are the other two transit map postcards from my collection:



Trade offers for for additional transit map postcards are always welcome.

For additional fun with transit maps, see my earlier post.

Finally, this transit map representation of Eustace Tilley. This map was one of the winners in a contest where artists were invited to create new versions of the mascot of the New Yorker Magazine.

“Eustace Tilley Subway”, by Alberto Forero, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Be My Cartographic Valentine

Happy Cartographic Valentine's Day...


From PostSecret, an ongoing community art project where people mail
in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.


From mediatinker, an artist, writer, filmmaker, photographer, web guru, general know-it-all, or empress of everything.


From The European Heart, a sculpture project by Anton Krajnc.


From Ernest Dudley Chase, A Pictorial Map of Loveland (1943), as seen in You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination by Katharine Harmon


From Art By the Yard, devoted to paper, fiber and book arts, the materials that comprise them and the artists who pursue them!


From Find Croatia, a web site dedicated to travellers and visitors to Croatia.

Utah: The Beehive State

In my last post, I made light of a bleak future for the Great Salt Lake if aflicted by global warming... To make up with my Beehive State friends, I present the Utah map postcards from my collection:



I have only visited the State of Utah once. I was sent to Provo several years ago, on business, in April. Spring in Utah is beautiful.

• Utah is one of the Super Tuesday Primary States today.
  
• It is one of the most religiously homogeneous states in the Union, with approximately 61% of its inhabitants claiming membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• According the 2000 Census, Utah was the fourth fastest growing state (at 29.6 percent) in the United States between 1990 and 2000.
  
• The world's first installed parking meter was in Utah City, on July 16, 1935. Carl C. Magee, of Utah City, Utah, is generally credited with originating the parking meter. He filed for a patent for a "coin controlled parking meter" on May 13, 1935.

Utahans prefer to use their state quarter when paying for parking.

Here we see the Utah quarter, released in 2007, depicting the famous steam engine collision of 1896...

Florida in the News Again

Florida in the news tonight. Can you tell I'm a politics wonk?

In honor of the Florida Primary, I present some Florida map postcards from my collection:





Florida:

• The home of the Hanging Chad.
  
• The most phalic state of the union.
  
• Five flags have flown over Florida: Spain, Great Britain, United States, Confederate States, and the the Republic of Florida (briefly independent after secession).
  
• Home of Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center.
  
• Home of Walt Disney World.
  
• Home of the 2008 2007 BCS Champions.

For cartographic analysis of the Florida Primary: check out The Electoral Map: pre-primary analysis and post-primary results analysis.

South Carolina

South Carolina has experienced its 30 minutes of electoral fame for this election cycle. Fifteen for the Republican Primary last week, and fifteen more for the Democratic Primary yesterday.

Our friends at The Electoral Map have gathered some geographical analysis of the Republican Primary (and more here) as well as the Democratic Primary.

However, the map image that really caught my eye was this analysis of Barbecue Regions. Mmmm, Barbecue... (must be lunchtime...)

• The State of South Carolina is known as the "Palmetto State".
  
• The Battle of Kings Mountain marked a turning point the the Southern Theatre of the American Revolution.
  
• It was the first state to secede from the Union in 1860 and the American Civil War began when Confederate batteries began shelling Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
  
• The state's stubborn worship of the Confederate battle flag still causes controversies and boycotts.
  
• However, the official state flag is a fine design. No boring "Official Seal", although the palmetto tree may violate Josh Parson's Rule #2a of Flag Design (Do not put a picture of anything on your flag).
  
• Your fearless cartographic correspondent has many ancestors from South Carolina, and still has many cousins living in the Piedmont, or Tomato Barbecue Region.

Here is a map postcard of South Carolina from my collection:

Only two left in the United Countries of Football

The New England Patriots and the New York Football Giants have vanquished all comers in the civil war among the United Countries of Football.



The two armies will now converge on Tempe, Arizona, in two weeks for the final battle. The Super Bowl. Only one more of these silly maps...

While sorting through some of my map postcards this evening, during the game, I discovered this one. I had forgotten that I had it.

It's a bit out-of-date... the Rams are still in Los Angeles, the Oilers are still in Houston, and there are no Ravens, Jaguars, or Panthers...

The First State

Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, and is therefore styled "The First State." If it weren't for Rhode Island, it would also be the smallest state (in area), and is also the 45th state in population. Yet, it is the seventh most densely populated state in the union.

What it lacks in size, it makes up for in the shoreline. The Delaware Shore is a popular vacation destination, particularly for residents of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

We visited there as part of a vacation swing that included West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. From Rehoboth Beach we took a Whale Watching excursion, but only saw dolphins.

New Hampshire, New England, New Presidential Candidates

In honor of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary today, I wanted to post a New Hampshire map postcard. Unfortunately, the closest thing I have is this New England map postcard (and these postcards from neighboring Massachusetts). In fact my map postcard collection is sorely lacking in the rest of New England (Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine) not to mention Iowa! Remember, I trade map postcards.

The Ohio State University - Cannot beat the SEC in a bowl game

The Ohio State University is now 0-9 vs. the SEC in bowl games. For the second year in a row, OSU has lost in the BCS College Football National Championship game.

LSU 38
OSU 24

However, I have a fine map postcard from Columbus:



"The statue of William Oxley Thompson, former president of The Ohio State University, stands in front of the Main Library and looks over the Oval, the academic hub of the campus."

North to Alaska!

Sadly, the only time I have been to Alaska was during a stopover in Anchorage on the way back from the orient. It was December and I had an hour or so to kill while they refueled the plane. I stepped outside in the -30°F just so I could say I did, then quickly jumped back in.



North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on
North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on

Big Sam left Seattle in the year of ninety-two
With George Pratt, his partner, and brother Billy too
They crossed the Yukon river and found the bonanza gold
Below that old white mountain
Just a little southeast of Nome

Sam crossed the Majestic mountains to the valleys far below
He talked to his team of huskies
As he mushed them thru the snow
With the northern lights a runnin' wild
In the land of the midnight sun
Yes Sam McCord was a mighty man
In the year of nineteen-one

Where the river is windin' big nuggets they're findin'
North to Alaska go north the rush is on



(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)

North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on
North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on

George turned to Sam with his gold in his hand
Said "Sam you're a-lookin' at a lonely lonely man
I'd trade all the gold that's buried in this land
For one small band of gold to place on sweet little Jenny's hand"

'Cause a man needs a woman to love him all the time
Remember, Sam, a true love is so hard to find
I'd build for my Jenny a honeymoon home
Below that old white mountain
Just a little southeast of Nome

Where the river is windin' big nuggets they're findin'
North to Alaska go north the rush is on

North to Alaska go north the rush is on

(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)

Fade

(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)



"NORTH TO ALASKA", From the film "North To Alaska", 1960, by Mike Phillips

Postcards ©Arctic Circle Enterprises

Tuck's Russo-Japanese War Map

One of my favorite map related blogs, Strange Maps, posted today about three postcards related to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. It inspired me to find the vintage Russo-Japanese War postcard from my own collection:



I recall picking this up at a paper collector's show in Columbus. On the back:

Raphael Tuck & Sons' Post Card Series No. 1355 "Russo-Japanese War"
ART PUBLISHERS TO THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING & QUEEN

No date on the card, but it appears to have been published during or soon after the war...

Wish You Were Here

The other day, I brought up the topic of "Imaginary Countries". What is the first thing you are supposed to do when you travel to a new far off place? Send your friends a postcard! So, when you travel to an imaginary place... well, then why not tell your friends where you've been?

On the back of the card:

Wish You Were Here
Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor and Dilophosaur are among the many wonderous living and breathing dinosaurs that only visitors of Jurassic Park(tm) can experience.

From the back of the cards:


Tired of visiting the same old tourist attractions, take a trip to a time when elves, dwarves and hobbits walked among men. Be sure to bring something "precious".


Two Towers Rohan and Gondor map from New Line Cinema

Looking for a little western swing? Visit the Cartwrights at their Ponderosa Ranch:





Be sure to request ahead of time, if you want the Pre-Adam years or Post-Adam years... (See Pernell Roberts).





From the back of the cards:
Ponderosa Ranch
Incline Village, Nevada
On the North Shore of Beautiful Lake Tahoe

Apparently the Ponderosa Ranch was a Bonanza themed amusment park from 1967 till it closed in 2004.

How about a vacation "long long ago, in a galazy far far away"?


This was actually a postcard I recieved from the home shopping channel, QVC, promoting their "Sci-Fi Week"

But why not take a trip to all the most popular Jedi hangouts?

On the back of this card:
The exciting trek to Tatooine, home planet of Rebel hero Luke Skywalker, includes a complementary visit to a Mos Eisley cantina.
From Disneyland

Map Postcards to Trade

Revised April 24, 2009

In many of my posts, I comment on map postcards. I have a modest collection of map postcards from all over the U.S. and many countries. In fact, one of the reasons I thought to start this blog, was because I wanted to showcase my collection (and force myself to organize and sort them).

When my friends travel, I usually say, "keep an eye out for map postcards." When I travel, I always browse the postcard rack in the souvenir shop for a card with a map I don't already have in my collection. Sometimes I accidentally buy duplicates, and sometimes I intentionally buy duplicates.

I know there are many other postcard collectors out there, and I would like to trade my duplicates for a map card I do not have. Below are many, but not all of the cards I have available for trade. If you would like one of these cards, and have a map postcard to trade, send a note to me at ADMIN [at] CARTOPHILIA.COM. The easiest thing would be for you to copy the image, or the link to the image, into your email message, then I'll know for sure which postcard has caught your eye.

My U.S. State Map Postcard "Want List":

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Other map postcards on my "Want List":

• Map postcards from any state that I don't already own


• Map postcards from cities, regions, transportation systems, parks, etc.


• I have a very small international map postcards collection, so just about any non-U.S. country will be a welcome trade.


• Imaginary places, like my Jurassic Park or Middle Earth postcards.

Here is a link to all of my blog posts about MAP POSTCARDS.

View a Gallery of Map Postcards to Trade.

Going to California Dreamin'

Spent my days with a woman unkind,
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start,
Going to california with an
aching in my heart.





California, Here I Come
Right back where I started from
where bowers of flowers
bloom in the spring
each morning at dawning
birdies sing at everything



Welcome to the hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year, you can find it here




All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I've been for a walk
On a winter's day

I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A
California Dreamin'
On such a winter's day














Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya
It pours man it pours.





Why all the California lyrics? No particular reason. I just wanted to display my collection of California map postcards, and I really haven't much to say about them.

California has another distinctive shap, and the state is so large, and has so many interesting things happening in it, postcard publishers probably have a hard time deciding what to highlight.

Cyprus: Divided Island

Situated in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is the third largest island in that sea. Its distinctive shape is immediately recognizeable on maps, map stamps and map postcards.

Here are several postcards from my collection:









Interestingly, Cyprus is divided into not two, but four jurisdictions:

• the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus in the south of the island;
  
• the Turkish occupied area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey);
  
• the United Nations-controlled Green Line, separating the two; and
  
• two Sovereign Base Areas (Akrotiri and Dhekelia), over which the United Kingdom retained jurisdiction after Cypriot independence.

From Wikipedia:

Mike Turner gets my attention

While it is unlikely I will ever vote to re-elect my congressman, Mike Turner (R-OH) knows how to get my attention:



Putting a map on your franked postcard will always make me take a second look before it ends up in the trash...

See the original, from Google Maps:


View Larger Map

Communicating with Geography: The Siegfried Feller Collection of Map Postcards

In one of my first posts, wherin I attempted to define what I mean by "cartophilia", I gave credit to Siegfried Feller for contributing to my interest in map memorabilia. Mr. Feller published a "zine" called Cartomania; all about map postcards and other memorabilia. I subscribed to that zine for several years.

Today I recieved a comment on that post (the FIRST comment on my blog... woo hoo!):

Indeed Siegfried Feller edited his wonderfully eclectic newsletter, Cartomania, from 1986 to its final issue in the Fall of 1999. His collection of over 10,000 map postcards, trade cards, matchbooks, T-shirts and more was recently given to the Harvard Map Collection. The collection is now being rehoused for preservation purposes and an exhibit of a selection of these items will open this month at the Harvard Map Collection.

David Cobb, Curator
Harvard Map Collection

Indeed! From the Harvard Map Collection website:

December 5–January 18

Communicating with Geography: The Siegfried Feller Collection of Map Postcards

Highlights from a recent gift to the Map Collection of more than 10,000 map postcards. The collection, a gift from Siegfried Feller, includes both new and used postcards and is international in scope.

Thank you, Mr. Cobb! I wish I could be in Massachusetts to visit the exhibit.

After additional "googling" of Mr. Feller, I have also discovered that he is a retired librarian from the University of Massachusetts. Another delightful coincidence. I would love to meet him one day.

Fun with Transit Maps

In my last post, I shared my postcard depicting the Boston MBTA subway system:



In response, Gerry sent me a link to this image:



Fun with anagrams!

You can even buy a T-shirt with this image.

Thanks, Gerry!

Then, as usual in the morning, I checked Boing Boing to see what's new, and they have this amusing image (that you can also buy on a t-shirt):



But wait! There's more!

From the Animals on the Underground:

In Honor of the Red Sox...

In honor of the Red Sox, who as I type this are on the verge of sweeping the World Series, I present several Boston and Massachusetts postcards from my collection:

Here is Boston:



Take the subway to Fenway Park:



Paul Revere should have warned the Rockies that the Red Sox were coming...