1941 Hawaiian Island
DESCRIPTION
Hawaii comes alive as a tropical playground in this colorful pictorial map by Ruth Taylor White, whose playful illustrations capture the islands during the golden age of Hawaiian tourism.
White depicts the Hawaiian chain from Kauai to Hawaii with dozens of small illustrations identifying the landmarks, activities, industries, and natural features associated with each island. Waikiki, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Haleakala, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Waimea Canyon, the Napali Cliffs, and Kilauea appear alongside sugar and pineapple plantations, ranching, papaya and banana cultivation, and Native Hawaiian life. The surrounding Pacific is equally lively, filled with outrigger canoes, surfers, swimmers, yachts, game fishing, inter-island steamships, and an airplane advertising "Air Service Between Islands." Small red birds carrying banners identify each island, while a mermaid compass rose and a border of tropical fish complete the whimsical design.
Hawaii as an American Tourist Destination
The map was published by Hawaiian Service and printed in Honolulu by Advertiser Publishing Co., during a period when Hawaii was being heavily promoted to mainland Americans as an exotic but increasingly accessible vacation destination. White emphasizes precisely the experiences that helped create that image: surfing at Waikiki, honeymooning, golf, scenic drives, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, and visits to volcanic landscapes. At the same time, references to Pearl Harbor and the "Largest U.S. Army Post" on Oahu point to the growing American military presence in the islands. Historical references include Captain James Cook's arrival in 1778, Kamehameha, ancient Lahaina, and the "Birthplace of Kamehameha Hawaii's Napoleon," mixing Hawaiian history with the lighthearted language of period tourism.
Ruth Taylor White was one of the most distinctive American pictorial mapmakers of the early twentieth century, known for transforming geography into colorful, humorous visual narratives. Her maps favor memorable characters and local details over strict cartographic precision, and The Hawaiian Islands is particularly well suited to her style. Surfers, fishermen, tourists, sailors, farmers, Native Hawaiians, wildlife, volcanoes, and tropical vegetation crowd the islands without overwhelming their recognizable geography. The result is both an engaging piece of Hawaiian ephemera and a striking record of how the islands were presented to American travelers during the first half of the 20th century.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622